Author: Andrew Rogers

Chancellor Rachel Reeves has said the UK’s economic struggles from Brexit and austerity are forcing her to take action in next month’s budget. She signaled that tax increases and spending cuts will be needed to balance public finances. Speaking at an investment event in Birmingham, Reeves said the economic impact of leaving the EU has been heavier than predicted by official forecasters. “Austerity, cuts to capital spending, and Brexit have had a bigger effect on our economy than projected,” she said. Reeves said she is working to rebuild relations with the EU to reduce costs added to businesses since 2016.…

Hundreds of people protested in New York City on Tuesday evening after Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) raided the Chinatown neighborhood. The raids targeted vendors accused of selling counterfeit goods and resulted in an unknown number of detainees. Demonstrators gathered near the 26 Federal Plaza Immigration Building, where they believed detainees were taken. Many chanted slogans such as “Ice out of New York” and “No Ice, no KKK, no fascist USA.” Videos from the raid show armed, masked federal agents detaining a man with zip ties and pushing back bystanders. Large groups of onlookers followed the agents through the streets.…

Arizona’s attorney general has filed a lawsuit to make Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson swear in Adelita Grijalva, a Democrat who won a special congressional election in September. Grijalva was elected on 23 September to the district once held by her father, Raúl Grijalva, who passed away earlier this year. She expected to start work in early October, but Johnson has not scheduled her swearing-in. Democratic Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes had warned she would take legal action if Johnson delayed the process. On 14 October, she sent a letter demanding the swearing-in within two days, but Johnson did not…

President Donald Trump’s meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday grew tense when Trump insisted Ukraine make territorial concessions to Russia to end the war, according to European officials briefed on the discussions. Trump, who later supported freezing the current battle lines as part of a peace settlement, reportedly raised his voice multiple times during the working lunch. The meeting marked a shift from Trump’s recent position that Ukraine might regain all lost territory. The tense discussions followed a call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, where Trump was urged to push Kyiv to surrender parts of eastern Donbas in…

House Republicans are discussing a longer stopgap funding bill as the U.S. government shutdown enters its fourth week. The original measure, passed last month, was designed to last seven weeks, expiring on November 21. With no bipartisan deal in sight, GOP leaders are exploring options to extend the funding window. Some Republicans suggest dates ranging from mid-December to early 2026. Party leaders are also considering offering Democrats a separate vote on extending key health insurance subsidies to gain their support. Changing the end date would require the House to return early from its month-long recess to approve the measure. The…

The UK housing market is showing signs of slowing as buyers and sellers adopt a “wait and see” approach ahead of next month’s budget, amid speculation that Chancellor Rachel Reeves could raise property taxes. Data from Rightmove showed that in September, both new buyer inquiries and new seller listings fell by 5% compared with the same month last year. The property website described the market as “resilient” but noted that the typical post-summer bounce in activity has not materialised. Property expert Colleen Babcock of Rightmove said the slowdown is most noticeable in the south of England, where potential buyers are…

Centre-right senator Rodrigo Paz Pereira, 58, has won Bolivia’s presidential runoff, marking a historic shift to the right after almost 20 years of leftist rule by the Movimiento al Socialismo (Mas) party. With over 97% of ballots counted in the preliminary tally, Paz Pereira received 54.6% of the vote, defeating former president Jorge “Tuto” Quiroga, who secured 45.4%. The electoral court noted that these figures are preliminary, as the official count requires a full public review of all votes at polling stations. The court has up to seven days to release the final results. Speaking to supporters in La Paz…

Donald Trump suggested that the war in Ukraine could end if the country agreed to cede parts of its Donbas region to Russia. His remarks came after a tense White House meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday, Trump said the Donbas region is already “cut up” and suggested leaving it as it is for now. He added that both sides should stop fighting, go home, and halt the killing. Trump’s stance marked a shift from his comments in September. He had previously said Ukraine could reclaim all its territories and even…

Millions of Americans marched across every state on Saturday to protest the Trump administration, raising concerns about authoritarianism in the United States. Protesters carried banners, signs, and even inflatable costumes, including bananas, SpongeBob SquarePants, and frogs, a symbol of resistance that started in Portland, Oregon. The marches drew widespread attention as participants signed a giant banner featuring the US Constitution’s preamble and joined marching bands along city streets. Organizers described the turnout as a powerful display of democratic engagement and peaceful dissent. The rallies mark a shift from six months ago, when Democrats struggled to counter Republican control of the…

Repair work has started on damaged power lines to Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant after the site experienced its longest outage since Russia invaded in March 2022. The UN nuclear watchdog said the outage, which began on September 23, cut off the plant’s connection to the national grid for the 10th time. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed that Russia and Ukraine set up local ceasefire zones to allow the repairs to proceed safely. Rafael Grossi, IAEA chief, said both sides cooperated to ensure the complex repair plan could move forward. “Restoring off-site power is crucial for nuclear safety and…