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Workers at a backpackers hostel in Laos have been arrested after six tourists, including a British woman, died from suspected methanol poisoning.Eight staff of the Nana Backpacker Hostel in Vang Vieng were detained for investigation. They are aged between 23 and 44. Simone White, from Orpington, Kent, was one of those who fell ill earlier this month after reportedly drinking "free shots" from a local bar and later died. Image: Simone White from Kent is one of six people who have died from suspected methanol poisoning On Friday, the 28-year-old's parents said they were "devastated by the loss of our beautiful, kind and loving daughter".An American, two Danish citizens and two Australians have also died, following the suspect...

The government's financial sanctions watchdog has admitted it has only imposed a single £15,000 fine for evasion of Russian sanctions since they were introduced two and a half years ago.Appearing before the Treasury Select Committee, the Treasury's economic crime chief said that despite the imposition of the most far-reaching set of sanctions on any country, so far the organisation has levied only one fine. That fine, on a company called Integral Concierge Services (ICSL), was imposed in September after it was found that ICSL helped a designated person transfer and receive money. Image: The Kremlin and St Basil's Cathedral in Moscow. File pic: Reuters Money blog: Major retailers named over questionable Black Friday dealsSo ...

A search and rescue team is "intensifying its efforts" to find 16 people, reportedly including two Britons, who are missing after their yacht capsized in the Red Sea.The 34-metre-long tourist boat Sea Story sank on Monday south of the Egyptian coastal town of Marsa Alam with 44 people on board. Egyptian military forces, which are co-ordinating operations, have already rescued 28 people "in cooperation with a cruise ship that happened to be in the area".In a statement on Facebook, it said "the general command of the armed forces has also issued its orders to the Navy to intensify its... search operations" for 16 people who are still missing. Image: Naval forces are intensifying their search for missing passengers and crew. Pic: Egyptian Armed F...

Donald Trump has threatened sweeping new tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China on his first day in office.The president-elect, who takes office on 20 January next year, said he would introduce a 25% tax on all products entering the country from Canada and Mexico. Posting on his Truth Social platform he also threatened an additional 10% tariff on goods from China on top of any additional tariffs he might impose as one of his first executive orders.What Trump's tariffs could mean for UK, EU, China and the worldIf implemented, the tariffs could raise prices for ordinary American consumers on everything from petrol to cars and agricultural products. The US is the largest importer of goods worldwide and Mexico, China and Canada are its top three suppliers according to the country's own census dat...