THREAD: nurses reject pay offer

BIRMINGHAM GARBAGE Strike Chaos: Rats, Fires, and Political Clashes

10 April 2025 — Garbage has piled up in Birmingham for a month due to a dispute between the city and trash collectors. Residents report seeing rats as large as cats among the refuse. Talks failed on Monday but are set to resume Tuesday, marking the fifth week of the strike.

Members of Unite, representing garbage truck workers, walked off on March 11 over job cuts and pay reductions. The Labour-run Birmingham City Council claims its offer is reasonable, affecting only a few jobs deemed unnecessary. The council faces financial strain from a historic pay discrimination settlement, forcing budget cuts of £300 million over two years.

As trash bags overflow onto sidewalks and critters chew through them, the city declared a major incident to deploy extra cleanup crews. Photos show illegally dumped furniture and burning garbage sacks in neighborhoods. The U.K.’s Labour government faces criticism from opposition parties but insists it’s a local issue while urging both sides toward resolution.

US and ISRAEL REJECT $53 Billion Gaza Plan: A Bold Stand or Missed Opportunity?

06 March 2025 — Egypt proposed a $53 billion plan to rebuild Gaza, gaining broad support but facing rejection from the U.S. and Israel. The White House criticized the plan, stating it ignores complex realities on the ground. Palestinians in Gaza strongly oppose any attempts to displace them, with some international voices warning forced relocation could be seen as ethnic cleansing.

U.S. HALTS Intelligence Sharing with UKRAINE: A New Era of European Uncertainty

The United States has stopped sharing intelligence with Ukraine amidst growing tensions in Europe. French President Macron cautioned Europe to prepare for a scenario where America might not be an ally anymore. Meanwhile, Sir Keir Starmer expressed readiness to deploy military resources for peace efforts in Ukraine at a recent defense summit.

UK DEFENSE SPENDING Hike: Resignation Shocks Politics

01 March 2025 — Anneliese Dodds resigned from her roles as international development minister and minister for women. She disagreed with the cuts to overseas aid. Dodds shared her resignation letter online, voicing concerns over reducing the aid budget. While she understood the need for more defense spending, she criticized how much aid was being cut.

Keir Starmer plans to raise U.K. defense spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027, up from 2.3%. This boost will come by cutting the aid budget from 0.5% of GDP to 0.3%. Starmer called this decision “very difficult and painful,” signaling a new era of insecurity in Europe that needs a strong response.

Dodds argued that these deep cuts would hurt vulnerable populations and harm the U.K.'s global reputation. She pointed out that supporting Gaza, Sudan, Ukraine, vaccinations, climate projects, and rules-based systems would be impossible with less funding. Aid agencies agreed, warning about negative effects on global poverty efforts and Britain’s influence abroad.

Despite initial doubts due to Starmer’s meeting with President Trump in Washington, Dodds decided to resign after his return from the trip. Her exit highlights tensions within Starmer’s Cabinet over balancing defense priorities with humanitarian commitments.

ANGLO AMERICAN’S Bold $500M Nickel Sale: A Strategic Shift

19 February 2025 — Anglo American has sold its nickel business for $500 million. This move lets the mining giant focus on copper and iron operations. The decision follows a rejected takeover attempt by BHP, signaling a strategic shift in focus.

Insolvencies are rising in England and Wales due to economic pressures. Fladgate LLP reports more administration cases, showing a tough business climate in early 2025. Economic turbulence may lead to more insolvencies as businesses struggle to adapt.

A Northampton business owner is under investigation for allegedly issuing fake fire safety certificates for high-rise flats. The accusations include stealing credentials and signatures from another engineer, raising serious safety concerns.

Elliott Management has taken a short position against Nvidia, betting on at least $600 million in downside exposure. The firm labeled Nvidia as a “bubble,” reflecting skepticism over its market valuation amid AI sector growth concerns.

‘COLD-BLOODED’ Nurse Lucy Letby Convicted: The Dark Truth Behind Baby Murders

09 February 2025 — Lucy Letby, a neonatal nurse in England, was convicted of murdering seven babies and trying to kill seven more. Her crimes happened at the Countess of Chester Hospital from June 2015 to June 2016. Prosecutors called her a “constant malevolent presence” who enjoyed "playing God.

A handwritten confession found by police showed Letby admitting she killed babies “on purpose.” She described herself as a “horrible evil person” and wrote, “I AM EVIL I DID THIS.” These admissions were key in securing her conviction.

Letby is now known as the United Kingdom’s worst serial child killer. She received 15 life sentences for her actions and has tried unsuccessfully to appeal twice. Despite some claims of miscarriage of justice, the evidence against her stays overwhelming.

Mediobanca’s BOLD Move: REJECTS Monte dei Paschi’s Billion-Euro Bid

28 January 2025 — Mediobanca has turned down a takeover offer from Monte dei Paschi di Siena, citing a lack of strategic and financial sense. The Italian bank believes the proposed merger would harm its shareholders. This decision comes after Monte dei Paschi announced a surprise 13.3 billion euro ($13.9 billion) buyout bid last Friday.

The value of the all-share offer has dropped due to investor doubts about the merger’s benefits. Mediobanca’s rejection shows concerns over the feasibility and logic behind the proposed combination. Investors are wary, questioning whether such a tie-up could truly benefit both parties involved.

Following the announcement, Mediobanca’s shares fell further in value, showing market uncertainty about Monte dei Paschi’s intentions and strategy. The rejection highlights ongoing challenges in Italy’s banking sector as institutions navigate complex financial landscapes and shareholder interests.

COSTCO STRIKE Threat: What It Means for Shoppers and Workers

27 January 2025 — A potential STRIKE at Costco looms as the union representing thousands of workers votes to authorize action. This decision comes amid ongoing talks over pay and working conditions, highlighting tensions between management and labor. If unresolved, this could significantly impact Costco’s operations soon.

Elon Musk stays in the spotlight with his involvement in DOGE, a cryptocurrency dividing investor opinions. Some see it as promising, while others doubt its long-term viability. Musk’s influence keeps DOGE relevant despite fluctuating interest and value.

Netflix plans more price hikes, raising concerns about keeping subscribers amid fierce competition. As streaming services battle for dominance, Netflix’s pricing strategy could affect its subscriber base and market position. Consumers are watching closely how these changes will impact their viewing options and costs.

In pharmaceuticals, speculation surrounds the next big drug after Ozempic’s success in diabetes management. New developments suggest another breakthrough may be near, potentially transforming treatment options worldwide. The medical community eagerly awaits what could be another game-changing advancement in healthcare innovation.

LUCY LETBY Scandal Deepens: More Baby Deaths Under Investigation

05 December 2024 — Former British nurse Lucy Letby, already serving a life sentence for murdering seven infants, faces new police questioning. Authorities are looking into more baby deaths and non-fatal collapses during her time at two hospitals. Letby was previously convicted of trying to murder more infants between 2015 and 2016.

Cheshire Police confirmed that Letby was interviewed in prison about the ongoing investigation. The inquiry focuses on her time at the Countess of Chester Hospital and Liverpool Women’s Hospital. Police aim to find out if there are more victims linked to her actions.

Letby’s conviction last year marked her as Britain’s worst serial child killer in modern history. She was found guilty of an eighth attempted murder charge earlier this year at a retrial. Further updates from the police will be shared when available, showing how serious this investigation is becoming.

BIDEN-HARRIS Strategy Fails: Hamas Rejects Hostage Deal

27 October 2024 — In a critical moment during negotiations, Hamas leader Sinwar rejected a hostage deal, banking on the BIDEN-HARRIS administration’s pressure on Israel to benefit Hamas. The Wall Street Journal reports Sinwar urged leaders outside Gaza to resist concessions, believing high civilian casualties would increase global pressure on Israel. This strategy aimed to exploit perceived weaknesses in the administration’s approach.

The report reveals a big miscalculation by the Biden-Harris team. Their dual strategy of pushing Israel for negotiations while criticizing it over Gaza backfired, as Sinwar saw this as an opportunity to reject compromise. By intensifying pressure on Israel, the administration inadvertently strengthened Hamas’s position and derailed potential agreements.

Critics swiftly reacted to these revelations. Journalist Daniel Greenfield stated that “the Biden-Harris administration emboldened Hamas.” Author Benjamin Weingarten highlighted extensive support provided to Iran and its affiliates under Obama-Biden policies, while political analyst Michael Scott Doran criticized their negotiation tactics as fundamentally flawed.

MAN’S Unexpected Obsession: Hospital Cafeteria Meals Cost Him Thousands

22 October 2024 — Omar Shafiq, a 33-year-old from the UK, has spent nearly $13,000 on hospital cafeteria meals since 2022. He claims to have eaten over 700 meals in hospitals across the country.

Surprisingly, Shafiq’s frequent visits aren’t because of sick relatives. He genuinely enjoys the food and finds it to be great value for money.

His unusual dining habit started when he visited his father in a hospital after late shifts in 2022. There, he found a meal of a baked potato, drink, and chocolate bar for under $10 that reminded him of school lunches.

LABOUR PARTY’S Economic Plan Under Fire: Will It Really Work?

22 July 2024 — Britain’s new Treasury chief, Rachel Reeves, vows to run the economy with “iron discipline.” She hinted at above-inflation pay raises for public sector workers to end ongoing strikes.

The Labour Party, elected two weeks ago, faces pressure to increase salaries and welfare without raising taxes or public borrowing. Reeves criticized the previous Conservative government for high taxes and debt.

Labour won a landslide victory on promises of economic growth, housebuilding, green energy projects, and improved public services. The electorate seeks relief from high living costs and past economic mismanagement.

Inflation has dropped to 2%, but strikes by hospital doctors strain the National Health Service. Other public-sector workers like nurses and teachers have also demanded higher pay through walkouts over the past year.

LABOUR SCRAPS Rwanda Plan, Sparks Outrage Over Immigration

06 July 2024 — The Labour government has abandoned the plan to send illegal immigrants to Rwanda for asylum processing. This scheme, introduced by ex-PM Boris Johnson in 2022, aimed to address the migrant crisis in the English Channel. A party insider confirmed that the plan is "dead.

Critics argue that Prime Minister Rishi Sunak knew the Rwanda plan wouldn’t work and called an election to avoid embarrassment from potential European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) interventions. Nigel Farage had previously suggested this was Sunak’s strategy.

Unlike Farage, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer opposes withdrawing from the ECHR and seeks closer ties with the EU on immigration matters. Starmer may even consider accepting a quota of EU migrants annually in exchange for a returns policy.

Scrapping the Rwanda policy means forfeiting £270 million already sent to Kigali but saves future payments of £50 million each in 2025 and 2026. The Conservatives had claimed this policy would deter future boat migrants, a stance now abandoned by Labour.

CYBER ATTACK Devastates London NHS Hospitals

06 June 2024 — A ransomware attack by the group Qilin has crippled Synnovis, a key pathology lab service provider for several National Health Service hospitals. Ciaran Martin, former chief of the National Cyber Security Centre, called it one of the most serious attacks in the U.K. due to its disabling effect on operations.

The attack affected King’s College and Guy’s and St Thomas’ hospital trusts, impacting multiple hospitals and clinics across south London. A memo to staff labeled it a “critical incident,” noting significant disruptions to services like blood transfusions and leading to canceled or redirected procedures.

Synnovis Chief Executive Mark Dollar stated that they are still trying to understand what happened but offered no further comment. The incident has been reported to police as investigations continue into this severe disruption of healthcare services in London.

Ransomware attacks involve criminals using malware to paralyze computer systems and demanding money for their release. These attacks are highly disruptive and costly, affecting various sectors including healthcare, with most perpetrators operating from former Soviet states beyond Western legal reach.

LABOUR PARTY’S NEW Promises: Empty Words or Real Change?

16 May 2024 — Labour Party leader Keir Starmer announced key pledges to win over voters in the upcoming U.K. election. His promises focus on economic stability, security, health, and education. Labour aims to regain power after 14 years in opposition.

Starmer’s six promises include restoring economic stability amid high inflation and mortgage rates, establishing a publicly owned green-energy company, and toughening border controls. Labour also plans to cut NHS waiting times, recruit more police officers, and hire thousands of new teachers.

Funding for these initiatives will come from measures like a windfall tax on oil and gas companies and ending tax breaks for private schools. At an event in Essex, Starmer called these pledges “our down-payment on change” that would take a decade to implement.

Since taking over from Jeremy Corbyn in 2020, Starmer has moved Labour toward the political center ground by supporting military aid to Ukraine and committing to balancing the books while addressing antisemitism within the party under Corbyn’s leadership.

BRITISH FARMERS Revolt: Unfair Trade Deals and Deceptive Food Labels Undermine Local Agriculture

26 March 2024 — London’s streets echoed with the voices of British farmers, expressing their deep concerns over free trade agreements and deceptive food labels. They argue these deals, inked by Tory governments post-Brexit with nations such as Australia, Canada, Japan, Mexico and New Zealand, are a blow to local farming.

The farmers highlight a stark contrast in standards between them and their international competitors. They are expected to adhere to stricter labour, environmental and health regulations which inadvertently allows foreign goods to undercut local produce prices. The issue is further amplified as European farmers gain access to UK markets thanks to generous government subsidies and the use of cheap migrant labour.

Adding insult to injury is a policy that allows foreign food repackaged in the UK to sport the British flag. This tactic muddies the waters for local farmers trying to set their products apart from overseas competition.

Liz Webster, founder of Save British Farming voiced her frustration at the protest stating that UK farmers are “completely disadvantaged”. She accused the government of reneging on its 2019 promise for a beneficial deal with the EU for British agriculture.

Supreme Court: Last RESORT for CUNY Professors Suing Union Over Alleged Antisemitism

22 January 2024 — A collective of professors from the City University of New York (CUNY) is taking legal action against a teachers union, Professional Staff Congress/CUNY (PSC). They accuse PSC of fostering antisemitism. The professors see their ultimate hope in the Supreme Court’s intervention. Despite their resignation from the union due to its perceived anti-Jewish bias, state law obliges them to maintain an association with it.

The dispute ignited when PSC endorsed a “Resolution in Support of the Palestinian People” in 2021. This resolution was interpreted as antisemitic and anti-Israel by six professors, prompting their withdrawal from the union. Nonetheless, New York State law dictates that these same professors must be represented by this union in collective bargaining discussions.

Avraham Goldstein, a mathematics professor and one of the six dissenters, voiced his distress over being compelled to align with a union he believes issues antisemitic statements without his approval.

This legal battle follows on from a significant Supreme Court ruling in Janus v. AFSCME (2018). The court decided that public employees who are not members can’t be forced to pay fees to a union as it infringes upon their First Amendment rights.

Sunak’s RWANDA Gamble: A Crucial Test Amid Conservative Uproar

17 January 2024 — UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak faces a rebellion within his own party. He’s pushing for approval of a controversial plan to deport certain asylum-seekers to Rwanda. The plan has already been blocked by the UK Supreme Court, and 60 members of his party have attempted to toughen the legislation. This led to the resignation of two deputy chairmen and a junior ministerial aide from his party.

The “Safety of Rwanda Bill” could face defeat if another rebellion occurs within Sunak’s party. This would pose a significant threat to Sunak’s government, which is just over a year old. The Prime Minister has placed this contentious immigration policy at the center of his election campaign strategy, even though he trails significantly behind Labour in opinion polls.

Sunak believes that deporting unauthorized asylum-seekers will discourage dangerous crossings over the English Channel and disrupt people-smuggling operations. However, he faces an uphill battle in convincing both fellow Conservatives and voters that this plan is effective.

Navigating tensions between liberal and law-and-order factions within his own party adds another layer of complexity for Sunak as he tries to push through this divisive policy.

UK Parliament SHUNS Cease-Fire Call Amid Israel-Hamas CONFLICT: A Blow to Labour Party Unity

16 November 2023 — The UK House of Commons has recently dismissed a proposed amendment that urged the government to demand a cease-fire in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas. The Scottish National Party presented this amendment, but it was turned down by 290 Parliament members, while only 183 voted in favor.

This decision is perceived as a significant blow to Keir Starmer, the leader of the Labour Party. Despite his efforts to display unity within his party ahead of next year’s national election, fifty-six members from his own party backed the amendment.

Following this setback, Starmer expressed disappointment over his colleagues’ lack of support for his stance. He said, “I wanted my position on this matter to be clear and consistent,” after the vote.

UAW STRIKE Ends: Ford’s Unprecedented 30% PAY Rise Could Shake Up Detroit Automakers

26 October 2023 — The United Auto Workers (UAW) union has reached a tentative contract agreement with Ford. This development could signal the end of the nearly six-week-long strikes that have rocked Detroit automakers. However, this four-year deal still needs approval from Ford’s 57,000 union members.

The agreement could shape future negotiations with General Motors and Stellantis, where strikes are ongoing. UAW has urged all Ford workers to resume work, hoping to pressure GM and Stellantis into bargaining. More details on how this strategy will be implemented are expected soon.

In a video address, UAW President Shawn Fain announced that Ford offered a wage increase of 50% more than before the strike started on September 15th. UAW Vice President Chuck Browning, who served as the chief negotiator with Ford, disclosed that workers would see an overall wage increase of 25%. This would push the total pay rise over 30%, resulting in top-tier assembly plant workers earning above $40 per hour by contract’s end.

Before this agreement, all three automakers had suggested a pay rise of just 23%. Under the new deal, assembly workers will receive an immediate raise of 11% upon ratification — nearly matching all wage increases since 2007.