Andy Burnham has proposed making social care in England free at the point of use for everyone who qualifies for support. He said the system would follow NHS-style principles, with everyone contributing and everyone covered, while acknowledging that tax increases could be considered. Burnham has asked Baroness Casey to accelerate her review of social care and provide advice on how the system could be implemented. … Continue reading Burnham proposes NHS-style social care system for England

France’s National Rally (RN) and its allies won a record 14 seats in the 348-member Senate, giving the party enough seats to form its first Senate group. Nine RN candidates won seats, while two candidates from Eric Ciotti’s allied Union of the Right for the Republic also won. Marine Le Pen described the results as a “historic victory” ahead of France’s next presidential election scheduled … Continue reading France’s far-right National Rally surges in Senate elections

South Korea demanded an explanation and apology from Ukraine after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy publicly disclosed the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war to South Korea. Seoul said the transfer had been covered by a confidentiality agreement intended to protect the prisoners and their families. Ukraine has disputed that an agreement existed to keep the transfer completely secret, creating a diplomatic dispute between the … Continue reading S Korea demands Ukraine apology over disclosure of N Korea’s POW transfer

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accused European countries of blocking U.S.-backed efforts to negotiate an end to the war in Ukraine. His comments came as Russia and Ukraine continued launching attacks following their deadliest summer of the war since 2022. Russian strikes killed four people in Ukraine on Saturday, while Ukrainian drones continued targeting Russian oil refineries and industrial facilities. U.S.-led efforts to secure a … Continue reading Russia accuses Europe of blocking Ukraine peace talks

Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić resigned on September 27, ending his second presidential term several months early.  He plans to remain in politics and seek the position of prime minister in Serbia’s October 25 snap parliamentary election.  Vučić cannot seek a third presidential term under Serbia’s Constitution, which limits presidents to two terms.  Parliament Speaker Ana Brnabić is expected to become acting president while preparations are … Continue reading Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic announces resignation

Maine Democrats criticized Republican Sen. Susan Collins after a ProPublica report said the FBI had planned to investigate whether she knew about alleged illegal campaign contributions from defense contractor Navatek. The report said the investigation focused on an alleged pay-to-play scheme involving campaign donations and Navy contracts, but it did not proceed after Donald Trump returned to the White House. Collins denied the allegations, calling … Continue reading Maine Dems hammer Collins over report of pay-to-play probe

The U.S. Senate narrowly rejected a resolution calling for an end to the war with Iran, voting 49-50 on Thursday. Four Republicans — Thom Tillis, Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski and Rand Paul — joined Democrats in supporting the measure, while John Fetterman was the only Democrat to vote against it. The War Powers Resolution would have directed President Donald Trump to remove U.S. troops from … Continue reading Senate narrowly votes down resolution calling for end to Iran war

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the U.N. General Assembly on Thursday as Israel faces growing international criticism over its actions in Gaza and the occupied West Bank. Many attendees walked out as Netanyahu took the stage, prompting him to criticize those who left the hall. In his speech, Netanyahu defended Israel’s military actions following the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack and praised U.S. support, … Continue reading Israel’s Netanyahu tells U.N. “we will continue to defend our state”

Chinese President Xi Jinping called for greater cooperation with the United States during a meeting with President Donald Trump, saying the two countries should avoid the “Thucydides trap” and the risk of military conflict. Xi urged stronger communication, mutual trust and regular military dialogue, while saying cooperation could benefit both countries despite their differences. Trump said the two leaders had developed a strong relationship and … Continue reading At Trump meeting, Xi Jinping lays out terms to avoid US-China military conflict

French President Emmanuel Macron said Thursday that the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency did not warn France about a potential Russian strike across southern Europe. Macron said French intelligence services had not received such a warning from the CIA. He nevertheless said Russia has been increasing what he described as hostile and criminal actions against European countries. Macron warned that France could potentially face attacks similar … Continue reading CIA did not warn France about possible Russian drone attacks, Macron says

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has declined to rule out challenging Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer for his New York Senate seat when his current term ends in 2028. Ocasio-Cortez said any decision about a Senate or presidential campaign would be personal and that she plans to focus on the 2026 midterm elections before deciding her next steps. She has also been mentioned as a potential 2028 … Continue reading AOC refuses to rule out run against Senate leader Chuck Schumer

ProPublica reported that the FBI investigated allegations involving U.S. Sen. Susan Collins and former Navatek CEO Martin Kao, who allegedly told investigators that political donations helped the defense contractor secure federal contracts. The report said an internal Navatek email indicated Collins had committed to helping the company obtain $32 million in naval contracts after Kao directed $150,000 through a shell company to a super PAC … Continue reading Sen. Susan Collins’ staff denies corruption allegations made in ProPublica report

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he plans to use his upcoming United Nations speech to defend Israel’s military actions in Gaza and criticize New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani. Netanyahu accused Mamdani of supporting Hamas and inciting hostility toward New York Jews, while Mamdani has rejected allegations of antisemitism and criticized Israel’s conduct in Gaza. Netanyahu said the 2023 Hamas attack killed about 1,200 … Continue reading Netanyahu says he will ‘tell the truth’ on Israel’s actions at United Nations

President Donald Trump signed a security agreement with Denmark and Greenland aimed at strengthening Arctic and North Atlantic security and expanding the U.S. military presence in Greenland. The agreement keeps Greenland under Danish control and would remain in effect if the territory eventually becomes independent, as long as it remains in NATO. The deal allows the United States to expand and modernize military activities at … Continue reading Trump signs US-Denmark-Greenland agreement to bolster Arctic security

President Donald Trump defended his foreign policy in a speech to the United Nations General Assembly, saying he has used American military power to address conflicts and challenges that previous leaders failed to resolve. Trump said he faces a choice between negotiating a deal with Iran and “annihilating” its government, while predicting that Tehran would agree to a deal after the U.S. midterm elections. He … Continue reading In U.N. speech, Trump threatens to “annihilate” Iran

President Donald Trump has announced plans to create an “AI Force” and appoint an artificial intelligence czar as concerns grow over the technology’s potential risks. Trump said his administration would not hinder the growth of the AI industry and rejected calls to slow development while additional safeguards are established. He described AI as potentially transformative for the U.S. economy and emphasized the importance of maintaining … Continue reading Trump says US will form ‘AI Force’ and appoint an artificial intelligence tsar

President Donald Trump and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani are scheduled to meet Monday at Gracie Mansion to discuss issues affecting New York City and its residents. The meeting follows a previous White House meeting in which Mamdani said they discussed the possibility of building more housing in New York City. Although Trump and Mamdani belong to different political factions, their recent interactions have … Continue reading Trump, Mamdani to meet in New York on Monday

President Donald Trump said he plans to change a proposed Washington, D.C.-area Triumphal Arch into a combined military complex and arch at the request of the U.S. military, citing national security. Trump said the revised project would include facilities for large numbers of drones, rooftop and plaza sniper positions, and storage for sniper ammunition. The roughly 250-foot arch, planned near the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington … Continue reading Trump says his proposed arch will include a military complex housing drones and snipers

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said her government plans to ban burqas and niqabs in schools and limit the number of foreign students in classrooms. The proposed measures would also require Italian-language lessons for parents of foreign students who have serious difficulties integrating into the school system. Meloni said the changes are intended to ensure that immigrants learn Italian, understand Italian culture and follow the … Continue reading Meloni promises to ban burqas, niqabs in Italy’s schools

French President Emmanuel Macron and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney met in the French territory of Saint Pierre and Miquelon to discuss strengthening ties between France and Canada. Macron said the two countries are independent nations that intend to remain so amid strained relations with the United States. Carney called for significantly closer cooperation with France and the European Union, following Canada’s recent discussions with … Continue reading Macron and Carney announce closer France-Canada ties amid Trump tensions

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said he intends to remain in office despite his party suffering major losses in two state elections on Sunday. Exit polls showed Merz’s Christian Democratic Union receiving just 5% in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, its lowest state-level result since World War II, while the Alternative for Germany made significant gains. In Berlin, the CDU was projected to finish second with 20%, behind the … Continue reading Germany’s Merz vows to press ahead with reforms after historic state election defeat

California Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an executive order Friday directing experts to develop new recommendations for strengthening the state’s artificial intelligence safety and security laws. The recommendations, due within two months, could include independent third-party safety reviews and a potential “kill switch” for advanced AI systems in emergencies. The order builds on California laws enacted this month requiring independent assessments and audits of AI systems. … Continue reading Gov. Newsom issues executive order to rein in AI ‘before it’s too late’

French President Emmanuel Macron said he plans to call a G7 meeting focused on rising global energy prices and the possibility of releasing strategic oil reserves. The announcement followed a crisis meeting in Paris where intelligence officials briefed political leaders and presidential candidates about security threats linked to the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East. Macron said France is seeking additional oil and gas … Continue reading Macron to call emergency G7 meeting as energy prices spike 

President Donald Trump threatened additional tariffs on the European Union after European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen proposed closer ties with Canada. Speaking in Charlotte, North Carolina, Trump said the level of any new tariffs would depend on what he described as the EU’s intentions. He warned that tariffs could become “very heavy” and potentially affect trade in certain areas. Trump also criticized the … Continue reading Trump says EU-Canada “hostile act” would draw more tariffs

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney received a standing ovation from European lawmakers during a speech to the European Parliament in Strasbourg. Carney expressed support for exploring Canada becoming the European Union’s first associate member, while emphasizing that the arrangement would not mean full EU membership. His comments come as relations between Canada and the United States have become strained over tariffs, trade disputes and President … Continue reading Carney and the EU shrug off Trump’s threats, looking to forge an “Alliance for the Future”