David Hughes

2 months ago | expressandstar.com | David Hughes |Nina Lloyd |Helen Corbett

Volodymyr Zelensky has said that he is “ready to work under President Trump’s strong leadership” to end the war with Russia. The Ukrainian president has called for a “truce in the sky” and a “truce in the sea” if Russia agrees to the same and said it is “time to make things right” after his clash in the Oval Office with Donald Trump last week.

2 months ago | belfasttelegraph.co.uk | George Lithgow |David Hughes |Max McLean

A British husband and wife on a motorcycle journey around the world have been detained in Iran. Craig and Lindsay Foreman were reportedly detained in January but the country’s state-run media revealed this week they had been accused of security-related offences. Their family said the situation was causing “significant concern”. The couple were ultimately heading for Australia, having crossed into Iran from Armenia on December 30, according to social media posts.

Feb 5, 2025 | belfasttelegraph.co.uk | David Hughes |Christopher McKeon

The UK has denied the cost of handing over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius could rise to £18 billion and disputed claims made by the Mauritian Prime Minister about the renegotiated deal. Sir Keir’s Government plans to hand the British Indian Ocean Territory to Mauritius but pay to lease back the US-UK military base on Diego Garcia. The Government argues that international legal rulings on sovereignty over the archipelago mean the UK has to cede the islands to Mauritius.

Jan 29, 2025 | belfasttelegraph.co.uk | David Hughes |Chris McKeon |Caitlin Doherty |David Lynch

Rachel Reeves has rejected criticism of the Government’s support to expand Heathrow Airport after she set out plans to remove barriers to growth in the hope of kickstarting the UK’s stuttering economy. The Chancellor said the economy will stagnate if you “always give in” to objections and that the answer to new infrastructure “can’t always be no” as Labour Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan said he would seek to halt a third runway going ahead.

Jan 29, 2025 | belfasttelegraph.co.uk | David Hughes |Caitlin Doherty

Rachel Reeves will publish a tax return, it is understood, after the Chancellor earlier said she did not have any plans to do so. A Treasury spokesperson indicated that Ms Reeves will publish details on her taxes, and Downing Street has confirmed that the Prime Minister will do the same. In 2024, a summary of Sir Keir’s return showed he paid almost £100,000 to the taxman.