Polish jets intercept Russian spy plane over Baltic Sea
Poland has said its aircraft intercepted a Russian jet carrying out a mission over the Baltic Sea with its transponder turned off this morning.
“Polish fighters intercepted an Il-20 aircraft conducting a reconnaissance mission in international airspace, without a filed flight plan and with its transponder turned off. The aircraft did not violate Polish airspace,” the Polish Army said in a post on X.
This comes as Russian soldiers gained a foothold in the strategic eastern Ukrainian town of Pokrovsk, Volodymyr Zelensky says.
The Ukrainian president said Russia had devoted vast numbers of troops to capturing the town, which is a key part of Kyiv‘s defensive lines in Donetsk, but that it had so far failed to do so.
He said Vladimir Putin‘s forces outnumbered Ukrainians there by eight to one.
“Imagine how many Russian forces are there. But at the same time, they have not achieved the planned result,” he said.
Zelensky’s battlefield update came as Moscow was again targeted as part of a broader Ukrainian drone attack for the third night in a row.
How Russia is risking nuclear catastrophe with attempts to syphon power from Ukraine’s biggest plant
Europe’s biggest nuclear reactor has become a battlefield in Ukraine’s defence against Russian invaders as they risk a catastrophic meltdown in its efforts to connect it to Moscow’s national grid.
The Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant , which has six reactors, was captured by Russian troops early in the full scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. It has remained a dangerous potential flashpoint for a nuclear disaster ever since.
Fighting and bombardments by both sides of the complex and the power station itself, which has been entirely occupied by Russian forces who base troops in its buildings, has forced the “cold shut down” of the reactors.
Read our full piece below.
How Russia risks nuclear catastrophe with attempts to syphon Zaporizhzhia power
Watch: Zelensky says Russia ‘concentrated its largest assault forces’ around city of Pokrovsk
Why is capturing Pokrovsk crucial to Putin’s forces?
Ukraine is rushing to strengthen its positions in the strategic eastern transport hub of Pokrovsk as about 200 Russian troops have infiltrated the city in small groups, Kyiv’s military said.
Last night, Volodymyr Zelensky said his troops have been outnumbered by Russian troops by eight to one in the region.
Russia has been aiming to occupy Pokrovsk, a key part of Kyiv’s defensive lines, for months, seeing it as a crucial point for its push to fully capture the Donetsk region.
It has also been described as a “fortress belt” by the Institute for the Study of War, given that Donetsk forms the main fortified defensive line along the eastern region, halting Russia in their tracks.
“Ukraine is holding a key defensive line across Donetsk,” says Elina Beketova, a fellow at the Centre for European Policy Analysis, describing a “fortified zone buildup over years because the war began 11 years ago”.
“It’s not just trenches, it’s a deep, layered defence with bunkers, anti-tank ditches, minefields, and industrial areas built into the terrain. The area includes dominant heights, rivers, and urban zones that make it extremely hard to capture,” explains Beketova.
Relinquishing the territory would be “catastrophic” for Ukraine, especially if they are not given concrete security guarantees such as Article 5 protection from Nato.
Russia using drones with cameras to hunt civilians across Ukraine, inquiry warns
A United Nations inquiry has concluded that Russian forces are systematically using drones to pursue and displace civilians near the front lines in Ukraine, a campaign described as a crime against humanity.
The report detailed how individuals were hounded from their homes, chased across significant distances by camera-equipped drones, and subsequently targeted with incendiary devices or explosives while attempting to find shelter.
This tactic has compelled thousands to abandon entire regions.
“These attacks were committed as part of a coordinated policy to drive out civilians from those territories and amount to the crime against humanity of forcible transfer of population,” said the 17-page report to be presented to the United Nations General Assembly this week.
Russia using drones with cameras to hunt civilians across Ukraine, inquiry warns
Ukraine’s long-range strikes cut Russia’s oil refining capacity by 20 per cent, says Zelensky
Ukraine’s long-range strikes on refineries inside Russia have reduced Moscow’s oil refining capacity by 20 per cent, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said, citing intelligence from Western governments.
Over 90 per cent of those deep strikes on Russian soil were carried out by Ukrainian-made long-range weapons, according to Zelensky. He said Ukraine needs additional foreign financial help to produce more of them.
“We just need to work on this every day,” he said in comments to the media on Monday that were embargoed until Tuesday.
Ukraine’s long-range strikes cut Russia’s oil refining capacity by 20%, Zelenskyy says
Ukraine targets Moscow with drones for third night in a row
Ukraine sent drones towards Moscow for the third consecutive night, disrupting air traffic around the Russian capital, Russian authorities said late last night.
The Russian defence ministry said in a statement that its air defence units destroyed 57 Ukrainian drones within three hours, starting at 1700 GMT yesterday, including four over the Moscow region and eight over neighbouring regions.
Moscow mayor Sergei Sobyanin said the emergency services had been sent to the site where a drone bound for Moscow came down.
Russian aviation watchdog Rosaviatsiya said two of Moscow’s four airports, the Domodedovo airport and the smaller Zhukovsky airport, were briefly closed for safety reasons.
There were no immediate reports of damage. Russia typically gives limited details about the effects of Ukrainian strikes on its territory unless civilians or civilian infrastructure are hit.
Over the previous two nights, Russia’s units destroyed 35 Ukrainian drones over the Moscow region, the Russian defence ministry said. There was no damage reported.
Kyiv has kept up long-range drone strikes on Moscow and other Russian regions in recent months, saying it seeks to hit military and industrial assets, sap Russia’s war economy and show Russians the conflict is no longer distant.
Putin widens military conscription to all year
Permanent year-round military conscription is set to be introduced in Russia after politicians endorsed a bill mandating it as authorities seek to fill the ranks.
At the moment conscription is done in spring and autumn.
The bill will allow conscription offices to summon draftees for medical exams and other procedures at any time of the year but it still stipulates that conscripts will enter military service only during spring and summer months as before.
All Russian men aged 18-30 are obliged to serve in the military for one year, although many avoid the draft by using deferments granted to students, declaring chronic illnesses and other reasons.
Russian authorities say the military does not use draftees in Ukraine, relying on volunteers and reservists mobilised for action. But human-rights activists and media reports have said the military has encouraged or coerced many draftees into signing contracts as volunteers.
Last year, Putin ordered the number of active troops to be increased by 180,000, to 1.5 million. He said last month that over 700,000 troops were fighting in Ukraine.
Japan PM pushed back on US request to ban Russian energy imports, Nikkei reports
Japanese prime minister Sanae Takaichi told US president Donald Trump that banning Russian LNG imports would be difficult during their meeting in Tokyo, the Nikkei business daily reported today, citing Japanese government officials.
Russian LNG accounts for nearly 9 per cent of Japan’s total LNG imports, with Japanese companies Mitsui and Mitsubishi having stakes in the Sakhalin-2 project.
Before Trump’s Asia trip, the US urged buyers of Russian energy, including Japan, to cease imports, and put sanctions on Moscow’s two biggest oil exporters, Rosneft and Lukoil, to push the Kremlin into talks to end the Ukraine war.
Polish jets intercept Russian aircraft over Baltic Sea, army says
Polish aircraft intercepted a Russian aircraft which was carrying out a reconnaissance mission in international airspace, without a filed flight plan and with its transponder turned off, the Polish Army said this morning.
“Polish fighters intercepted an Il-20 aircraft conducting a reconnaissance mission in international airspace, without a filed flight plan and with its transponder turned off. The aircraft did not violate Polish airspace,” the army said in a post on X.
In photos: Ukrainian troops hold ground in Pokrovsk as fighting intensifies
Dog walker killed in ‘senseless’ Uxbridge triple stabbing is named
A dog walker has died and two people have been injured in a “senseless” triple stabbing in west London.
A 22-year-old Afghan national has been arrested on suspicion of murder as neighbours paid tribute to the victim, who they said was “just doing the normal dog walk that he does every day”.
The Home Office said the suspect entered the UK hiding in the back of a lorry before claiming asylum, which was granted in 2022.
Officials also confirmed that he is not resident in an asylum hotel or any other Home Office accommodation, despite claims on social media.
The decision to release key details, including the suspect’s immigration status, comes as Labour faces pressure over the soaring cost of using hotels to house asylum seekers and a row over last week’s accidental release of migrant sex offender Hadush Kebatu from prison.
Monday’s night attack at around 5pm in Midhurst Gardens, Uxbridge, is not being treated as terror-related.
A 49-year-old victim, named locally as Wayne Broadhurst, died at the scene. Residents told the Daily Mail that Mr Broadhurst, a local bin man, had tried to intervene after a fight spilled out on to the street, before the alleged attacker started slashing at him.
Another local added: “He’s well known around here. He’s a lovely guy, very gentle and peaceful. He was just trying to help and it’s ended up costing him his life.”
A man, aged 45, also suffered life-changing injuries in the stabbing and a 14-year-old boy was also wounded in what police described as a “senseless act of violence”.
The Metropolitan Police said the 22-year-old Afghan national was arrested at the scene on suspicion of murder and attempted murder.
Detectives are working to establish any relationship between the suspect and the three victims, the force said.
Footage posted online appears to show the suspect walking along a residential street, before two police officers sprint after him, one pointing a Taser and shouting “drop the knife” and “get on the floor”.
Several others join them before the Taser is fired and the man falls to the ground.
One neighbour who did not want to be named said the 49-year-old victim was a binman who was “just doing the normal dog walk that he does every day”.
“I’ve been here two years and would see him walk past the window,” she said.
She described him as “the last person on Earth that you would think somebody would go for”.
She said she took some flowers and a box of shortbread over for his wife and added: “I still can’t get over it.
“If he was five or 10 minutes later taking the dog out, would the same thing have happened?”
A group of around 100 men, women and children gathered to lay flowers near the police tape at the junction between Midhurst Gardens and Leybourne Road on Tuesday night, with some lighting candles.
One Union flag was held above the crowd as they gathered shortly before 7.30pm.
One female neighbour who earlier left a bunch of flowers near the cordon said: “Last night the police came down my road, it was about 5pm, I thought to myself ‘oh my god I wonder what’s happened’.”
“I just thought I’d come down and put some flowers down for the family,” the woman, who didn’t want to be named, said.
She said she found out what happened early on Tuesday, which made her feel “absolutely sick”, adding: “That somebody could actually do that, it’s just awful.
“The area used to be lovely, over the years it’s really gone downhill.”
Chief Superintendent Jill Horsfall said: “This was a shocking and senseless act of violence that has left one man dead and two others injured.
“Our thoughts are with the victim’s family and friends at this unimaginably difficult time.
“The incident will have understandably caused concern to the local community. I have deployed multiple officers to the local area; they will be here throughout the week to provide reassurance while detectives work intensely to piece together the circumstances.
“I understand that there has been a lot of speculation online following on from this incident. We ask that you rely on us for information, and that you do not share sensitive footage.
“If anyone saw or has any information about the incident, then please come forward to police. We appreciate any information that you may have.
“There will be a crime scene and a heavy police presence within the area over the next few days. I thank residents for their patience.”
Speaking about the stabbing case in Uxbridge, a Government minister said it is “resolute” in deporting people who commit crimes in the UK.
Alex Norris told LBC: “This is a dreadful case, and our feelings are with the people of Uxbridge.
“We’re still of course working through precisely what’s happened and the motivation and the intent there.
“I do want to clarify some disinformation that is going round.
“This wasn’t an individual housed in a hotel, this wasn’t an individual with a live asylum claim.
“We normally don’t go that far, as you know, but I think it’s important for public confidence to say that.
“This individual must feel the full weight of the law, and when people do commit crimes in this country, we are resolute in deporting them.”
Anyone with information can call police on 101 quoting the reference 5129/27OCT, or to remain anonymous, contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555111 or online.
England hero Agyemang stretchered off with ‘awful’ injury
Lionesses hero Michelle Agyemang was left in tears as she was stretchered off with a suspected serious injury against Australia.
The 19-year-old, who earned national adulation for her super-sub role in England’s Euro 2025 triumph this summer, came on in the second half of the Lionesses’ 3-0 international friendly win over the Matildas on Tuesday night.
However, she would be withdrawn from the contest just 18 minutes later after going down clutching her knee, with the Arsenal loanee appearing in excruciating pain.
After minutes of being tended to by England medics, she left the field on a stretcher to a standing ovation inside Pride Park.
Sarina Wiegman was concerned and said: “It was an awful moment, doesn’t look good. We don’t know yet until she gets assessed but I’m not very positive about what I saw.”
Aggie Beever-Jones, meanwhile, was gutted to see her teammate leave the field like that.
“It’s never nice when someone goes off on a stretcher, let alone a teammate,” she told ITV4. “I don’t know what she’s done, I just hope she’s OK. It’s never, ever nice to see anyone in pain like that. I’m just praying she’s OK.”
Agyemang had looked like a live wire since coming on and was threatening to add to England’s advantage, with crowd reaction showing that she would have been a very popular goalscorer.
After first-half goals from Beever-Jones and birthday girl Lucy Bronze, England did eventually get their third through a stoppage-time penalty from Georgia Stanway.
But despite a near-perfect performance from Sarina Wiegman’s side, the injury sustained by Agyemang hung heavy on the minds of the Lionesses following the full-time whistle as they await an update on its severity.
Harry and Meghan’s former home ‘being renovated’ to house Andrew if he leaves Royal Lodge
Workers have been in and out of Frogmore Cottage for “weeks” getting ready for Prince Andrew amid continuing pressure for him to move out of the Royal Lodge. due to his ties to Jeffrey Epstein.
Sources told The Sun people have been working “day and night” in the cottage, which was home to Harry and Meghan between April 2019 and March 2020.
The property is believed to be a likely option for Andrew’s next home should he agree to move out of the Royal Lodge.
“People have been inside Frogmore Cottage working day and night,” the source said. “Over the weekend the lights were on after dark.
“And workmen have been coming and going for weeks. It shouldn’t need a lot of work done as Harry and Meghan spent £2.4million on repairs just six years ago and no one has lived there since, apart from the few months Princess Eugenie was there during lockdown.”
Prince Andrew is reported to be in “advanced talks” over leaving his 30-room mansion after it emerged he had paid a “peppercorn rent” for the last 20 years.
In recent weeks, Prince Andrew has faced continuing furore over his ties to Epstein, and the publication of the posthumous memoirs by his sexual assault accuser Virginia Giuffre. Andrew strenuously denies all accusations.
ICYMI: King heckled over brother’s Epstein ties
King Charles was heckled by a protester earlier this week, asking about Prince Andrew’s ties to Jeffrey Epstein.
As he shook hands with people during a visit to Lichfield Cathedral in Staffordshire on Monday, Charles was asked whether he had asked police to “cover up” for his brother.
In a video of the incident a protester can be heard shouting: “How long have you known about Andrew and Epstein? Have you asked the police to cover up for Andrew?
“Should MPs be allowed to debate the royals in the House of Commons?”
The King, who was a few feet away, did not respond to the questions and other people could be heard telling the heckler to “go away” and to “shut up”.
Prince William ‘put pressure on’ Beatrice and Eugenie’s titles in bid to remove Andrew from Royal Lodge, reports claim
Prince William reportedly told Andrew’s daughters Beatrice and Eugenie he would need to examine their titles if they did not put pressure on their father to leave Royal Lodge, according to reports.
Journalist Emily Maitlis, who conducted the famous Newsnight interview with Andrew in 2019, told the News Agents podcast: “There was a question over whether earlier in the day, a meeting between Prince William and the princesses, Beatrice and Eugenie, saying you guys have got to get your dad to move out of Royal Lodge otherwise we will start re-examining the state if your own titles.”
Recap: Prince Andrew could face Commons scrutiny over title and peppercorn-rent mansion
MPs could debate Prince Andrew’s conduct, his 30-room mansion and the possibility of stripping him of his dukedom.
The Government has so far refused to allocate time in the House of Commons for MPs to discuss Andrew’s situation because the royal family wants Parliament to focus on “important issues”.
But the issue could be raised on one of the days when ministers are not in control of the parliamentary timetable.
A Liberal Democrat source indicated to the Sunday Times that the party could be prepared to use one of its opposition days to allow MPs to discuss Andrew’s behaviour.
Meghan launches first festive collection with nod to wedding
The Duchess of Sussex has unveiled her first festive collection with lifestyle brand As Ever, including a nod to her 2018 wedding.
Meghan’s holiday range includes new additions such as two candles inspired by her wedding date and her birthday, retailing for £48 each.
The signature candle — named 519 — is said to be “inspired by the ease and joy of a day that holds Meghan’s most cherished memories — her wedding day, May 19,” according to the company’s website.
Expanding her range of spreads, the duchess has introduced a Signature Fruit Spread Gift Set containing raspberry, orange marmalade and strawberry varieties for £31.
Elsewhere in the collection, she’s launched a wildflower and orange blossom Honey Duo Gift Set priced at £46.
Comment: Prince Andrew is in danger of dragging the late Queen’s name down with him
Prince Andrew is in danger of dragging the late Queen’s name down with him
All the royal titles Prince Andrew has given up
Earlier this month, Prince Andrew relinquished all of his royal titles ahead of the publication of Virginia Giuffre’s posthumous memoir.
While he is still a prince, Andrew will no longer use his Duke of York title, but he will still retain his dukedom, which can only be removed by an Act of Parliament.
You can read about all of the royal titles Prince Andrew has given up below…
All the royal titles Prince Andrew has given up
Comment: Prince Andrew can’t outrun Epstein’s shadow or America’s questions
Prince Andrew can’t outrun Epstein’s shadow or America’s questions
Workers ‘frantically’ getting Frogmore Cottage ready for Andrew, reports say
Workers have been in and out of Frogmore Cottage for “weeks” getting ready for Prince Andrew, reports say.
Sources told The Sun people have been working “day and night” in the cottage, which is believed to be a likely option for Prince Andrew’s next home.
“People have been inside Frogmore Cottage working day and night,” the source said. “Over the weekend the lights were on after dark.
“And workmen have been coming and going for weeks. It shouldn’t need a lot of work done as Harry and Meghan spent £2.4million on repairs just six years ago and no one has lived there since, apart from the few months Princess Eugenie was there during lockdown.”
Harry and Meghan, who lived in the cottage between April 2019 and March 2020, reportedly spent £2.4 million on renovations.
Recap: Downing Street dismisses calls for MPs to be given time to debate Prince Andrew
Downing Street dismisses calls for MPs to be given time to debate Prince Andrew
Watch: Epstein survivor calls on Prince Andrew to give information on ‘what he saw’ in mansion
Vietnam leader’s UK visit overshadowed by ‘interrogation’ of BBC journalist
A BBC journalist has been barred from leaving Vietnam and allegedly subjected to multiple days of interrogation as the country’s top leader arrived in the UK on Tuesday for an official visit.
The BBC on Tuesday alleged that officials in the Asian country stopped its journalist – a Vietnamese citizen who lives and works in Thailand – from leaving the country, seized her passport, and subjected her to interrogation.
The British government is being urged by friends of the journalist to pressure Vietnam‘s Communist Party general secretary To Lam, who is scheduled to meet prime minister Sir Keir Starmer, to secure her release.
Friends hope her case can be raised by the British prime minister during his meeting with the Vietnamese leader.
The journalist, who works for the BBC’s Vietnamese Service, had returned to her home country in August to renew her passport. “One of our journalists has been unable to leave Vietnam for several months as the authorities have withheld their ID card and their renewed passport,” the BBC said in a statement.
The local police allegedly held her reissued passport and interrogated her for five days over her work. “We are deeply concerned about our journalist’s wellbeing and urge the authorities to allow them to leave immediately, providing them with their renewed passport so they can return to work”.
The journalist, who does not want to be named, was “shaken” by the gruelling interrogation and pressured into acknowledging 18 articles that she had published, The Times reported, citing her friends.
During Mr Lam’s visit, both nations are expected to raise their ties to a strategic comprehensive partnership, according to British officials. However, Mr Lam’s visit appears to have been eclipsed by yet another glaring example of the clampdown on press freedom in Vietnam.
“When you undertake that degree of interrogation, and when you’re singling out specific articles that they’ve forced her to acknowledge, I think they’re preparing for an arrest,” said Phil Robertson, a human rights campaigner in Bangkok.
“It may be right now that they’re not arresting her because they don’t want to spoil the visit of the Communist Party of Vietnam’s secretary general to meet with Keir Starmer and have this special relationship inked between the two countries,” he told The Times.
A Foreign Office spokesperson told the BBC that the UK’s “position and track record defending media freedom is clear”.
“We remain concerned by reported harassment of NGOs, journalists, and rights activists and communities in Vietnam and continue to raise these concerns directly with our Vietnamese counterpart,” the spokesperson added.
Vietnam is one of the most hostile nations for independent journalism and journalists are routinely jailed or censored. The Vietnamese government under Mr Lam’s leadership has intensified its clampdown on dissent by arresting activists, journalists, lawyers and critics.
In May, Vietnam banned the print edition of The Economist, which featured To Lam on the magazine’s cover with stars painted on his eyes.
Rights organisation Reporters Without Borders (RSF), which calls Vietnam “one of the world’s biggest prisons for journalists”, ranked the South Asian country 173rd in its press freedom index of 180 countries.
Enriching escapes: find your perfect luxury break
Trump ‘sad’ as he concedes the Constitution is ‘pretty clear’ on running for a third term
Donald Trump admitted to reporters during his visit to South Korea that he is “sad” about not being able to run for an unconstitutional third term, while a government shutdown drags on in Washington.
Still, the president managed to slip in a subtle brag, while lamenting the news, as he claimed to have the “highest numbers that I’ve ever had.”
Previously, Trump has said that he would “love” to have a third term in office and even sold “Trump 2028” hats on his website.
His dreams of another four years in the Oval Office were quashed by his own party, though, after Speaker Mike Johnson said that he does not “see the path” for a third term.
Trump is scheduled to meet with the South Korean President in Gyeongju before sitting down with China’s President Xi Jinping on Thursday.
The U.S. president is hoping to use the talks to thaw tensions between America and China which were enflamed by Trump’s massive tariff hike earlier this year.
His visit has been overshadowed by missile tests by North Korea, despite Trump spending much of his first term trying to get Kim Jong Un to commit to denuclearizing his country.
At least eleven states have given in to Trump’s demands that trans issues are removed from sex education
At least eleven states have pulled education about trans issues from sex education courses, sources confirmed to The Guardian.
Trump’s administration said that states needed to axe the courses by last Monday. The president threatened that states which fail to comply could see federal funding being pulled.
Almost all of the states which complied with his order were Republican-controlled.
Meanwhile, 16 other states and the District of Columbia have sued the president over the order.
All of the states suing the government are Democrat controlled and claim that the order violates the authority of Congress, which approved the $75 million Personal Responsibility Education Program.
Pete Buttigieg tops poll for the Democrats’ presidential nominee
Pete Buttigieg could be the Democrats’ next presidential nominee, according to a bombshell poll by the University of New Hampshire.
The survey put the former Transportation Secretary at 19 percent, with California Governor Gavin Newsom coming in second place with 15 points.
Meanwhile, New York firebrand Alexandria Ocasio Cortez came in third place with 14 percent.
On the Republican side of the aisle, JD Vance comfortably topped the poll with a staggering 51 percent.
Former presidential hopeful Nikki Haley came in with just 9 percent.
Trump laments being unable to run for unconstitutional third term
Trump has seemingly given up on running for an unconstitutional third term, despite previously saying that he would “love” to do it.
He says that the news is a “sad thing” and went on to brag about having the “highest numbers that I’ve ever had.”
Meanwhile, YouGov Public Relations Lead Allen Houston told Newsweek that the president’s poll numbers have plummeted.
“This is the lowest net approval Trump has received in any Economist/YouGov Poll in Trump’s second term, and lower than all but one poll in his first term,” he said.
China foreign ministry confirms Trump-Xi meeting
Chinese President Xi Jinping is set to meet U.S. President Donald Trump in the South Korean city of Busan on 30 October, China’s Foreign Ministry announced Wednesday.
“They will exchange views on bilateral relations and issues of mutual interest,” the ministry said in a statement.
South Korea appeals to Trump’s love of gold with golden dessert
During his lunch with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, Trump was given a glamorous “gold-themed dessert” in a reference to his infamous love for golden furniture, jewelry and decorations.
The luxurious dish was meant to symbolize “the two nations’ shared commitment to peace and prosperity,” according to the South Korean president’s office.
The meal featured golden-enrusted brownies and tangerines and had the word “PEACE” spelt out on the plate.
The statement from Lee’s office added that the dish celebrated “a golden era of the Korea-US alliance.”
Judge extends ban on Trump firing federal officials during shutdown
A federal judge extended a ban on the president firing government employees during the government shutdown yesterday.
Previously, Trump had suggested that he will slash what he calls “Democrat Agencies” before Judge Susan Illston ruled in favor of the labor unions who filed a lawsuit against the president.
“Today’s ruling is another victory for federal workers and our ongoing efforts to protect their jobs from an administration hellbent on illegally firing them,” AFSCME President Lee Saunders said in a statement.
White House Office of Management and Budget chief Russ Vought had previously said that the Trump administration were planning to axe as many as 10,000 federal jobs before the judge’s ruling.
40 million Americans could go without food stamps because of the government shutdown
Funding for SNAP could run out by Saturday, leaving 40 million Americans without state support to buy groceries.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program is used by one in every eight Americans. The amount of money allocated for the scheme is normally determined in a spending bill by Congress, which has been unable to agree on a budget for nearly four weeks.
Now, Democratic state officials are suing the government to unlock emergency SNAP funds.
The lawsuit was filed by 22 states and the District of Columbia, as well as three governors. Democrats hope it will allow them to use a federal contingency fund worth around $5 billion.
South Korean president hopes Trump will allow Seoul to use fuel for nuclear-powered submarines
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said Wednesday he hoped U.S. President Donald Trump would allow Seoul to use fuel for nuclear-powered submarines, a long-standing request Washington has resisted.
“We don’t mean to build nuclear-armed submarines, but because diesel submarines are less capable of submerged navigation, there are restrictions on tracking North Korean or Chinese submarines,” Lee told Trump during talks.
“So if you allow us to supply fuel… if we build several submarines equipped with conventional weapons… the U.S. military’s burden could be significantly reduced.”
Previous South Korean presidents have also expressed interest in developing nuclear-powered submarines, but Washington has opposed the move for decades.
Trump has previously ruled out a backdoor plot to becoming president again
Trump told reporters on Monday that he has ruled out running for the vice presidency in 2028.
If he won the VP job, some lawmakers say that he could become president once again – should his running mate resign from the presidency.
However, Trump confessed that a backdoor scheme like that was too “cute.”
“You’d be allowed to do that, but I wouldn’t do that,” he said.
Trump gifted crown by South Korean PM
Trump has become the first American leader to ever receive the Grand Order of Mugunghwa, South Korea‘s highest honor.
In an ironic twist following the No King’s protests in America, Trump was then gifted gifted a replica of the largest crown in Korea’s Silla-era.
However, he did not try to put the crown on while speaking with the South Korean PM.
Still, Trump admitted that he wanted to wear the crown.
“I’d like to wear it right now,” Trump joked. “I will cherish it.”
Income tax rise only way to plug new black hole, Reeves warned
Raising income tax or slashing public spending is the only way Rachel Reeves can balance her Budget, top economists have warned, after grim news on a key economic indicator left her with an extra £20bn in what was already a sizeable black hole.
The chancellor knew she would be facing a difficult Budget on 26 November, with a gap in the finances of between £30bn and £40bn, but she has been dealt a further blow with the decision by the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) to downgrade its productivity forecast – a move that was first revealed by The Independent – which means she must find a further £20bn.
Now, the respected Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) has warned that trying to balance the books by raising lots of smaller taxes, instead of breaking Labour’s manifesto pledge not to increase income tax, will “cause unnecessary amounts of economic damage”.
It comes after the chancellor said she also wants to increase her fiscal headroom above the current £10bn to allow the Treasury to deal with economic shocks, after Donald Trump’s tariffs and the ongoing impact of wars in Ukraine and the Middle East left her short following last year’s Budget.
IFS senior researcher Isaac Delestre said: “It is possible to raise tens of billions without breaking the letter of Labour’s manifesto promise not to increase employee national insurance contributions [Nics], VAT or income tax rates. But it increases the risk of raising taxes in a way that would cause unnecessary amounts of economic damage, or add needless complexity to the system.”
He added: “Of course, she always has the option of reducing spending instead of increasing tax.”
His comments come as Ms Reeves is holding discussions over a raft of possible new taxes, with her many options including an annual mansion tax of 1 per cent on properties valued above £2m, a gambling tax, a bank profits levy, capital gains reforms for those selling their primary property, and ending tax relief on pensions.
But the man she brought in as her economic guru before Labour won power has warned the chancellor that she must adopt a bolder approach.
Former Treasury minister Jim O’Neill, a crossbench peer and former head of Goldman Sachs, urged Ms Reeves to instigate “proper reform”, saying she should “get rid of the triple-lock guarantee on the state pension annual increase, bring in true property tax reform, and start being serious about welfare reform”.
Professor Stephen Millard, deputy director for macroeconomic modelling and forecasting at the National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR), agreed that Ms Reeves will now have to go for one of the big taxes – probably income tax – in order to fill the hole.
He told The Independent: “Trying to fill the gap without changing any of the main taxes would mean a lot of small changes, making the tax system ever more complicated and less efficient.”
The chancellor has already confirmed that she will not borrow more money to balance the books, but she is under mounting pressure from within Labour to increase spending rather than cut it, with former prime minister Gordon Brown set to lead a push on ending the two-child benefit cap next week.
She and other ministers have also repeatedly avoided referring to the Labour election manifesto pledge that they would not raise income tax, VAT or employee Nics. This has led to speculation that she is planning to raise income tax, with The Independent revealing that serious discussions have taken place over the top 45p rate and the possibility of either increasing it or lowering the threshold at which people have to start paying it.
While some argue that Ms Reeves needs to consider a fresh attempt to bring down the burgeoning benefits bill, further welfare reform and spending cuts appear to be off the cards following the Labour backbench rebellion at the start of the summer.
It comes after the Labour membership elected Lucy Powell to be the party’s deputy leader, on a left-wing ticket promising a “fairer” tax system and opposition to spending cuts. She was previously sacked as a cabinet minister by Sir Keir Starmer for arguing against his planned £5bn of welfare cuts.
Meanwhile, Ms Reeves has doubled down on her claim that Brexit is responsible for the country’s economic woes, as she was pushed on the latest OBR downgrade news this morning while visiting Saudi Arabia.
“There are obviously huge benefits from rebuilding some of those relations, but also inflation is too high,” she told the Future Investment Initiative in Riyadh. “One of the reasons for that is that there’s too much cost associated with trade with our nearest neighbours and trading partners.”
On Monday, Ms Reeves signalled that tax rises are being considered ahead of the Budget, as the government needs to make sure there is “sufficient headroom” above its spending plans, and that its fiscal rules are met.
“The underpinning for economic growth is stability, and I’m not going to break the fiscal rules that we’ve set,” she said.
Meanwhile, the chancellor is hoping that investment in the UK will help the economy as well as her own fortunes, as she announced a £6.4bn two-way trade and investment deal with Saudi Arabia. The new package includes £5bn of export finance in a major boost to British manufacturing and jobs, plus multimillion-pound investment deals with Aberdeen Investcorp, Barclays, HSBC, and UK AI powerhouse Quantexa.
She said: “The commitments unveiled today will turbocharge business opportunity and create thousands of jobs at home – key ingredients for kickstarting economic growth and building an economy that works for, and rewards, working people.”