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British Prime Minister Andy Burnham holds his first Cabinet meeting, in London, Tuesday. (Reuters) Andy Burnham told the inaugural meeting of his cabinet Tuesday that he would lead a “cost-of-living government”, after unveiling an energy tax cut on his first full day as prime minister.Burnham, who replaced Keir Starmer in Downing Street on Monday, announced he was cutting value-added tax (VAT) on consumer electricity bills — his first significant policy announcement as UK leader.But a Starmer loyalist, one of several to be culled from ministerial positions by Burnham, questioned how the Labour government would fund the cut, suggesting the new premier’s call for party unity may go unheeded.From October 1, electricity bills will be VAT free, saving an average household around £45 ($61) a year, the government said in a statement.In opening remarks to his cabinet in front of media before the private meeting, Burnham told ministers that they must give the public “a sense that help is coming”.”We need to be a cost-of-living government, getting that cost of living down, looking at all possible ways of doing that,” he added.But he also stressed “we’ve got to show fiscal discipline” and vowed to always “show how we’re going to pay” for policies.The tax cut will cost the government about £850mn ($1.143bn) in the current UK financial year.The government said it would be funded by cancelling Starmer’s plan for a digital ID scheme that would have cost the taxpayer £1.8bn.But in a post on X, former minister Darren Jones said the ID programme had been “unfunded”.”The government will have to set out how it will pay for its new policies at the budget,” he wrote.Burnham, parachuted into No. 10 by Labour MPs after they lost confidence in Starmer, insisted during the cabinet meeting that he would always “show how we’re going to pay” for policies.He is currently mulling rent control measures and caps to bus fares.Burnham became Britain’s seventh prime minister in just over a decade Monday and signalled a new left-ward direction for the Labour government during his first speech outside No. 10.He pledged to re-industrialise the country, push through greater public control of utilities and build more public housing, vowing to unveil a 10-year-plan later this year.Burnham also intends to decentralise power away from London to other cities and regions.Despite vowing to end factionalism in Labour, one of his first acts as prime minister was to cull most of Starmer’s supporters from his new 23-member cabinet.Rachel Reeves was axed as finance minister, replaced by John Healey, while David Lammy left his role as deputy prime minister, as Burnham promoted his own allies and reshuffled the existing pack.Ed Miliband became foreign minister, Wes Streeting — who abandoned plans to run against Burnham for the Labour leadership — was named defence minister, and left-wing figurehead Angela Rayner returned to government.The new cabinet has 12 women, and 11 men, although women have been cut from two of the top posts.ChallengesOn Monday’s busy afternoon, Burnham also held calls with numerous foreign leaders, including US President Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and French leader Emmanuel Macron.Burnham, a long-time critic of Starmer’s more centrist approach to governing, only returned to parliament four weeks ago following a nine-year stint as Greater Manchester mayor.Labour MPs hope his down-to-earth persona can stem support for the anti-immigrant Reform UK party, led by Nigel Farage, before the next general election, due in 2029.But Burnham faces multiple challenges, not least an anaemic economy, high government borrowing costs, a ballooning welfare bill and irregular migrants arriving in small boats.Unpredictable energy prices due to the US-Iran war and volatile relations with Washington under Trump also threaten to buffet his premiership.Burnham, an MP between 2001 and 2017, has little room to manoeuvre amid high public debt and strict financial rules requiring him to balance government spending against tax revenue.His swift appointment as Labour leader, and prime minister by virtue of Labour’s huge parliamentary majority, came without him putting forward a clear plan for how he will achieve his aims.Farage has questioned Burnham’s mandate and called for a snap election. Related Story Source…
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Lionel Messi will unveil a 21-metre (70-foot) statue of himself in India on Saturday as he embarks on a three-day tour of the country that has sparked a fan frenzy.The iron sculpture in Kolkata, which shows Messi holding aloft the World Cup, is part of a so-called GOAT Tour that will take in four Indian cities and a possible meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The 38-year-old Argentina and Inter Miami superstar will unveil the monument virtually rather than in person for security reasons.A ‘Hola Messi’ fan zone has also been set up in Kolkata where on display is a life-sized replica of Messi sat on a throne. The hall also recreates his Miami home, complete with mannequins of his family members.Football fan Samir Nandy said it would be ‘a dream come true’ to catch a glimpse of his idol.’Legends are not made by success alone. It is his resilience that made me believe in him,’ Nandy, 64, said in Kolkata. ‘The statue is a fitting tribute to him.’Monti Paul, the statue's main sculptor, told AFP the structure was built inside 40 days. ‘It's a matter of pride to build the sculpture of Messi. It's the tallest statue I have made,’ he said.The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner will also meet Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan and former India cricket captain Sourav Ganguly during his whirlwind trip to Kolkata. Ahead of his arrival, Messi said it was an honour to visit India and interact with the fans.’India is a very special country and I have good memories from my time there 14 years ago — the fans were fantastic,’ Messi said in a statement.’India is a passionate football nation and I look forward to meeting a new generation of fans while sharing the love I have for this beautiful game.’ After Kolkata, where Messi will play a short friendly match, he will head to Hyderabad, Mumbai and New Delhi.In Hyderabad he will attend a concert in his honour and play another friendly. He is reportedly scheduled to meet Modi in the capital.Messi won his second consecutive Major League Soccer Most Valuable Player award this week after propelling Inter Miami to the MLS title and leading the league in goals. The former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain attacker will spearhead Argentina's defence of the World Cup in June-July in North America. Source link
The College of Pharmacy at Qatar University (QU) participated in the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research Conference (ISPOR 2025), in Tokyo, Japan, from September 28 to 30. The college was represented by students Abdelaziz al-Khalaf and Maram Abdelsadig.This academic accomplishment reflects the college’s commitment to supporting scientific research and enhancing international academic engagement for its students, a statement said. The students’ research abstract, titled 'Interventions Promoting the Acceptance and Uptake of Generic Medicines: A Systematic Review,' was accepted for presentation as a scientific poster under the supervision of Dr Zaheer Babar, providing them with the opportunity to present their work among leading international experts in health economics and outcomes research.During the conference, the students took part in a wide range of academic activities, including attending scientific workshops, visiting the accompanying exhibition, and presenting their research poster.Maram, a fourth-year pharmacy student, highlighted the importance of the experience, noting that her participation as an undergraduate student and a representative of Qatar provided a distinguished opportunity to interact with specialists from pharmaceutical companies, academic institutions, and various health-related fields.Al-Khalaf was of the view that the conference enabled him to understand how real-world data is used beyond academic study and its significant role in guiding healthcare decisions. ‘Meeting professionals from different countries and hearing about their experiences greatly motivated me to further develop my skills in this field.”This participation reflects the importance of engaging students in global research forums and strengthening the role of experiential learning in academic and professional growth, the statement added. Source link
The assembly is the world’s highest-level decision-making body for matters related to the environment. More than 6,000 people – representing 186…
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