The owner of Candy Kittens, the vegetarian sweet brand, is in talks about a cut-price deal to buy Graze, the snacks range owned by FTSE-100 consumer goods giant Unilever.The Latest News from the UK and Around the World | Sky News
Month: November 2025
Tokyo has lost its long-held title as the world’s most populous megacity and now ranks third, according to a new report.The Latest News from the UK and Around the World | Sky News
Prince Harry and six other household names are suing the publishers of the Daily Mail newspaper over alleged unlawful information gathering dating back 30 years.The Latest News from the UK and Around the World | Sky News
A woman has been jailed for life in New Zealand for murdering her two children, whose bodies were found in suitcases in an abandoned storage unit more than three years ago.The Latest News from the UK and Around the World | Sky News
At least four people have died in a fire which has engulfed a high-rise residential complex in Hong Kong.The Latest News from the UK and Around the World | Sky News
If there was much surprise and confusion about the origins of a US-backed peace proposal for Ukraine that had Russian fingerprints all over it, there is less now.The Latest News from the UK and Around the World | Sky News
A raft of tax rises is expected in the budget this lunchtime – with the chancellor acknowledging that voters are “angry at the unfairness in our economy”.The Latest News from the UK and Around the World | Sky News
By: James Brooks, Alaska Beacon
The chair of Alaska’s human rights commission has sued a political writer for defamation over his description of her work on a failed attempt to preserve a historic building in Seward.
Dorene Lorenz of Juneau filed the suit on Friday in Juneau Superior Court, seeking damages from Jeff Landfield and the other owners of the Alaska Landmine, a popular Alaska political website that publishes a mixture of news, commentary and parody.
Landfield, who backed Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election, also publishes the Alaska Political Report, a sobersided news digest priced at $1,299 per year for lobbyists and others interested in activity at the state Capitol.
Lorenz’s suit stems from a social media post in which Landfield ridiculed a recent appearance by Lorenz at a United Nations event in Switzerland.
Landfield went beyond that appearance, which he labeled “bizarre,” and said, “This woman is an absolute nut. Remember when she got in trouble for using … state money for the Jesse Lee Home for herself?”
Lorenz asked for a retraction. Landfield refused, and reiterated his belief in a video posted on Facebook.
Lorenz filed her lawsuit in response, saying Landfield’s claim is false. She asked for financial damages for slander and defamation, a correction and retraction.
Lorenz, who has experience representing herself in court, filed the lawsuit on her own behalf.
“She’s a f***ing lunatic,” Landfield said of the lawsuit on Tuesday.
“Anyone who has themselves as a client is a fool, as the old saying goes,” he said, adding that he looks forward to the discovery process and showing what happened with the Jesse Lee Home.
That building was a former orphanage and the home of Alaska Flag designer Benny Benson in the early 20th century.
During the administration of Gov. Bill Walker, state lawmakers allocated almost $7 million to restore the building, but grants given to a Lorenz-chaired nonprofit called the Friends of the Jesse Lee Home were terminated after a series of “reporting issues and accountability issues.”
Lorenz said by text on Tuesday that most of the grant money was never disbursed to the nonprofit she administered.
In 2018, Fred Parady, then deputy commissioner of the Alaska Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development, told Alaska Public Media that he didn’t think anyone involved with the project stole money.
In her legal complaint, Lorenz notes that Landfield was aware of that reporting and repeated his claim anyway.
Under Alaska law — which mirrors federal law — a public official filing a defamation claim needs to prove that someone knew what they were saying was a lie or that they willingly ignored evidence that their statement was a lie.
By text message, Lorenz said the 2018 reporting by Alaska Public Media shows that the state believed that the Friends of the Jesse Lee Home were spending too much money on classes within the school and not enough on the building itself.
“Landmine has asserted otherwise, with actual malice, and continues to do so,” she said. “Not cool.”
By: James Brooks, Alaska Beacon
Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy is now considering who may fill two legislative seats vacated by state senators seeking higher office.
Sen. Mike Shower, R-Wasilla, resigned Nov. 3 to run for lieutenant governor, and Sen. Shelley Hughes, R-Palmer, resigned Nov. 14 to run for governor.
On Sunday, Republicans in Hughes’ district proposed three local residents to fill her seat: Rep. Cathy Tilton, R-Wasilla, Matanuska-Susitna school board member Tom Bergey, and Gerrie Deal of Palmer.
Under state law, Dunleavy does not have to pick any of the three, but Republican Party rules state that local party officials will propose nominees to the governor in the event of a vacancy.
Dunleavy has until Dec. 14 — 30 days after Hughes’ resignation — to fill the seat.
The deadline to fill Shower’s vacant seat is coming up sooner: Republicans in his district have nominated Reps. Kevin McCabe, R-Big Lake, and George Rauscher, R-Sutton, for the vacancy, as well as Ryan Sheldon, a former aide to Rep. Julie Coulombe, R-Anchorage.
Any person picked for the Senate must be confirmed with a majority vote by the Senate’s Republican members, which includes four remaining members of the all-Republican Senate minority as well as the five Republicans who are in the Senate’s majority caucus.
If Dunleavy picks a current member of the state House for either seat, he will create a vacancy that he must fill within 30 days.
That person — or those people — will almost certainly join the House’s 19-person all-Republican minority caucus, whose leadership is in flux.
On Saturday, House Minority Leader Mia Costello, R-Anchorage, said she would resign immediately as minority leader.
The resignation came after two members of the minority met with her and said there were enough votes to remove her as leader. That meeting was first described by Jeff Landfield of the Alaska Landmine.
Her resignation, which had not been requested, leaves the minority’s position uncertain ahead of the legislative session. The minority leader is traditionally in charge of opposition messaging and is the main negotiator between the House majority and minority caucuses.
This past year, members of the House minority repeatedly diverged on key topics, including a vote on whether or not to override Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s education funding vetoes.
The Alaska House is currently controlled by a 21-person majority that includes Republicans, Democrats and independents.
CBJ- Tlingit & Haida and the City and Borough of Juneau (CBJ) are pleased to announce a new partnership to expand early childhood education and youth development opportunities in Juneau. Through a recently finalized lease agreement, Tlingit & Haida will utilize classroom space at Floyd Dryden to bring three Head Start classrooms, LEARN and youth programs under one roof.
Construction and remodeling of the new space are currently underway and are scheduled for completion by January 2026. Once finished, the updated facility will provide a welcoming, child-centered environment designed to support high-quality education and holistic youth programming for Juneau’s families.
“This partnership represents a shared commitment to Tribal citizen children and their futures,” said Tlingit & Haida President Chalyee Éesh Richard Peterson. “We are grateful to the City and Borough of Juneau for working collaboratively with us to create a unified space for learning and growth. When we invest in our youth, we invest in the strength and resilience of our community. This project brings together education, culture, and care in one place—helping our youngest learners and future leaders thrive.”
Mayor Beth Weldon emphasized the importance of community partnerships in expanding access to education and youth resources.
“The City and Borough of Juneau is proud to partner with Tlingit & Haida on this project,” said Weldon. “Providing quality early education and youth programming is a shared goal that benefits the entire community. By working together, we’re ensuring that families have access to the resources and support their children need to succeed.”
The lease agreement ensures that Floyd Dryden Middle School continues to be an active and valuable part of the community. The building is far from sitting empty—it will soon be home to Tlingit & Haida’s early education and youth services while maintaining community access to shared spaces. The gymnasium is not part of the lease and will remain available for scheduled programming and public use through CBJ Parks and Recreation’s regular scheduling process.
A Central Hub for Tlingit & Haida Youth and Family Services
The Floyd Dryden site will be the home to a growing number of Tlingit & Haida’s youth services and will serve as a central hub for:
- Three Head Start classroomspromoting school readiness at no cost to families for any eligible child age 3 to 5 years (Head Start Pre-School) and 18 months to 3 years (Early Head Start)
- Little Eagles and Raven’s Nest, a licensedchildcare center that provides year-round, full day care and early learning for any child age 0 to 6 years.
- Haa Yoo X̲’atángi Kúdi, a pre-kindergarten Lingít language immersion nest program that serves tribal citizen children age 3 to 5 years.
- Wayfinders Mentoring and Life Skills programming, which offers guidance, academic support and leadership development for Alaska Native and American Indian youth grades 9-12
- Youth Wellness & Prevention initiatives, including Traditional Games and wellness activities; and
- The future Native Boys & Girls Club, which will expand after-school, cultural, and family engagement opportunities for youth age 6-18 and the broader Juneau community.
“Wayfinders, Wellness, and the Native Boys & Girls Club all work toward the same goal—helping our youth discover their strengths and lead with confidence,” said Tlingit & Haida Youth Engagement Manager Jasmine James. “We’re investing in the next generation of leaders who will carry forward our values, culture, and community pride.”
Bringing early education and youth programs together under one roof strengthens Tlingit & Haida’s ability to support children and families from early learning through adolescence. The project reflects both partners’ long-term vision of fostering education, wellness, and community connection.
A guided tour of the facilities is scheduled for today, November 18 at 1 PM.
A community open house is planned for early 2026 to celebrate the completion of the space and to recognize the collaboration that made the project possible.
About the City and Borough of Juneau
The City and Borough of Juneau (CBJ) is the capital city of Alaska and serves as the hub of government, education, and culture for the region. CBJ is committed to partnerships that support thriving families and strong educational foundations for all residents.
About Tlingit & Haida
The Central Council of the Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska is a sovereign tribal government representing over 38,000 citizens worldwide. The Tribe provides a wide range of services and programs to support the well-being of its citizens and strengthen communities across Southeast Alaska.