11+ min ago (509+ words) Cho Jung-tai insists Taiwan is "a fully sovereign and independent country" Taiwan"s "return" to China was not an option, premier Cho Jung-tai said on Tuesday after Xi Jinping pressed Beijing"s sovereignty claims to the self-governed island in a phone call with Donald Trump. The Chinese leader told the American president on Monday that Taiwan"s return to China after the Second World War was a key part of Beijing"s vision for world order. Mr Xi invoked his nation"s wartime alliance with the US while urging joint efforts to "safeguard the victory of World War Two". Taiwan was returned to China in October 1945 following Japan"s surrender at the end of the war. "We must once again emphasise that the Republic of China, Taiwan, is a fully sovereign and independent country," Mr Cho told reporters outside the…...

15+ min ago (156+ words) Two local men undergo brain surgery while playing their musical instruments, showcasing their remarkable journey at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, where music and life intersect. New study reveals the healing power of music - A new study indicates that patients listening to calming instrumental music during surgery require less anaesthetic and experience reduced physiological stress. - The research, conducted at Lok Nayak Hospital and Maulana Azad Medical College in India, involved 56 patients undergoing laparoscopic gallbladder removal surgery between March 2023 and January 2024. - Patients in the music group needed substantially less propofol, the primary intravenous anaesthetic, and fewer additional doses of the opioid painkiller fentanyl. - Physiological stress, measured by serum cortisol levels, was markedly lower in patients exposed to music, who also woke up more smoothly from anaesthesia. - The study concluded that receptive music therapy is a safe and effective…...

20+ min ago (922+ words) A cut to the cash ISA limit doesn't have to have a negative impact on your savings or your future Rachel Reeves is set to cut the cash ISA limit in Wednesday's Budget, with the cap poised to drop from "20,000 to "12,000. The proposed move, seen as a bid to encourage more people towards investing rather than only saving in cash, has prompted a mixed reaction from consumers and businesses. Many savers will not feel the impact of a cut on a day-to-day (or year-to-year, more specifically) limit, bearing in mind the difficulty many people have in saving upwards of "1,000 per month. But they could still be hit when they come into lump sum - through inheritance, for example, or a property sale. Either way, some people clearly want to move money before limits are cut. One cash ISA provider, Plum, told…...

25+ min ago (214+ words) Southall fire: More than 150 firefighters rush to scene of huge blaze in London - A large fire has erupted at a retail park on Bridge Road in Southall, West London. - Fifteen fire engines and approximately 150 firefighters are tackling the blaze, which started just before 9am. - The fire is affecting a two-storey building comprising a warehouse and retail space, with about three-quarters of the structure currently alight. - Thick plumes of smoke are visible across West London, prompting advice for local residents to keep doors and windows closed. - The cause of the fire is presently unknown, and traffic in the area is expected to be impacted. Southall fire: More than 150 firefighters rush to scene of huge blaze in London - A large fire has erupted at a retail park on Bridge Road in Southall, West London. - Fifteen fire engines and approximately 150 firefighters are tackling the…...

25+ min ago (181+ words) The Independent gives Black Friday 2025 shopping tips Source The Independent Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent Notifications can be managed in browser preferences. Swipe for next article The worst UK retailers offering "dud" Black Friday deals revealed - Consumer champion Which? has warned Black Friday shoppers about misleading deals, finding that eight out of ten products on offer were not at their best price during the sales event. - An analysis of 175 home, tech, and health appliances across eight major retailers revealed that 83 per cent were cheaper or the same price outside the four-week Black Friday sales period last year. - John Lewis was identified as having the most 'dud deals', with 94 per cent of its analysed products available at the same or a lower price at another time, and 56 per cent being cheaper elsewhere. - Other retailers, including Very (93 per…...

29+ min ago (800+ words) Our community has shared frustration over NHS barriers to prostate cancer screening, welcoming David Cameron's call for targeted PSA tests to catch the disease earlier The former prime minister revealed he was diagnosed with the disease after a scan prompted by his wife, Samantha, and is now calling for targeted screening. Many noted that prostate cancer is common but often overlooked, stressing that early detection can be life-saving and that PSA checks can catch the disease before it becomes untreatable. Readers praised Cameron for using his platform to raise awareness, highlighting how difficult it can be to get a PSA test on the NHS. Several described the mixed messages around testing, with doctors warning of false positives or unnecessary biopsies, yet acknowledging PSA as the best tool currently available. Others shared personal experiences with symptoms such as frequent urination, underlining…...

29+ min ago (139+ words) Ray Romano reveals key reason Patty Heaton got the job Source: CBS Sitcom pays touching tribute to deceased stars during reunion special - The Everybody Loves Raymond 30th Anniversary Reunion special aired on CBS, featuring original cast members and showrunner Phil Rosenthal. - A significant part of the 90-minute special was dedicated to a "beautiful" tribute to late stars Peter Boyle, Doris Roberts, and Sawyer Sweeten. - The tribute included clips from the show and personal memories shared by the cast, with Rosenthal revealing details such as Boyle's monk training and John Lennon being his best man. - Fans expressed widespread appreciation for the tribute on social media, with many conveying sadness for the deceased actors. - Ray Romano and Brad Garrett confirmed that the show will not be rebooted, stating that the absence of Boyle, Roberts, and Sweeten makes a continuation impossible....

31+ min ago (112+ words) Holly Bishop | Tuesday 25 November 2025 11:32 GMT Sir Keir Starmer participated in the viral 6-7 trend with primary school children during a visit to Peterborough. The prime minister and education secretary Bridget Phillipson discussed the importance of free school meals with pupils during a visit to Welland Academy, on Monday (24 November). During the visit, Sir Keir was reading with pupils when one pointed out they were on page 67. The prime minister then made the hand gesture that accompanies the reference, with the students quickly joining in. The teacher later jokingly told the prime minister off: "You know children get into trouble for saying that in school....

34+ min ago (379+ words) On a trip to Legoland in Billund, Robin McKelvie finds creativity and familial connection "We are all about the brick," smiles Kathrine Kirk Muff, of Lego House, as we sip a coffee in the slick caf" in the massive, multi-floor oasis dedicated to the wildly popular plastic toy. "Lego is at the heart of the "Capital of Children" that is Billund " and we celebrate that. Billund is somewhere that everyone can enjoy." You could spend hours just walking around Lego House looking at all the lavish creations of the "Lego Masters" from all over the world " everything from huge Lego cities, through to "artwork" and a hulking T-Rex. There is something to compel in every room and if you return, you keep finding more. It"s a joy that they limit numbers so everyone gets space to relax and express…...

34+ min ago (163+ words) Active again for the first time in 10,000 years: the Hayli Gubbi volcano in Ethiopia spewed huge clouds of ash up to 14 km high. These are now moving towards Oman and Yemen. Watch dormant volcano erupt for first time in nearly 12,000 years - The Hayli Gubbi volcano in Ethiopia's Afar region erupted on Sunday for the first time in nearly 12,000 years, sending ash 14km into the atmosphere. - Thick plumes of ash were tracked drifting over Yemen and Oman before spreading across Pakistan and into northern India by Monday and Tuesday. - The ash cloud caused significant disruption to air travel, leading to numerous flight cancellations and diversions by airlines in India and the Middle East. - Local officials reported no casualties, but villages near the eruption were blanketed in ash, affecting livestock and causing residents to hear loud explosions. - Indian meteorological officials stated the ash…...