26 h. ago Energy minister leaves Government after two weeks for health reasons

Downing Street announced Baroness Margaret Curran had left her role as an energy minister on Friday afternoon.

Politics

47 h. ago Trump threatens to ‘terminate Elon’s Governmental Subsidies and Contracts’ as feud with Musk escalates – live

Trump claims he asked Musk to leave administration and suggests cutting Musk’s governmental contracts would achieve Doge’s mission of saving US moneyTrump says he is ‘very disappointed’ in MuskPresident Vladimir Putin told US president Donald Trump that he was ready to use Russia’s close partnership with Iran to help with negotiations over Iran’s nuclear programme, the Kremlin said on Thursday.Trump said after a phone call with Putin on Wednesday that time was running out for Iran to make a decision on its nuclear programme and that he believed Putin agreed that the Islamic Republic should not have nuclear weapons. Continue reading...

Events

62 h. ago Collapse of Dutch government leaves uncertainty on streets of Amsterdam

Geert Wilders’ walkout left some disappointed, others relieved – and trust in politics falling most among far rightAtaa Bodin is glad that the Dutch government has fallen. “It’s good,” said the 34-year-old Syrian who lives in the Netherlands. “I have a passport, the father of my daughter is Dutch but for other people it’s difficult. They can’t just go back to Syria like counting to three.”On Tuesday, far-right populist Geert Wilders collapsed his first government after failing to break open the coalition agreement to add 10 new policies on asylum – including deporting Syrians with temporary residency within six months, forcibly if necessary. Continue reading...

Politics

3 d. ago Elon Musk steps up criticism of Trump budget bill, calling it a ‘disgusting abomination’ – US politics live

After officially leaving government adviser role, Tesla CEO doubles down on opposition to what he calls ‘massive, outrageous’ billDonald Trump has threatened to impose “large scale fines” on California over the participation of a transgender athlete taking part in a high school competition.The president wrote on Truth Social:A Biological Male competed in California Girls State Finals, WINNING BIG, despite the fact that they were warned by me not to do so. As Governor Gavin Newscum fully understands, large scale fines will be imposed!!! Continue reading...

Politics

4 d. ago Dutch government collapse: What has happened and what will the implications be?

The government breakdown in the Netherlands was sparked by a disagreement on asylum measures.

Politics

7 d. ago Trump says Musk to remain ‘friend and adviser’ as Tesla chief grilled on reported drug use and black eye – US politics live

US president praises Musk’s ‘tireless’ work as he leaves so-called department of government efficiencyMusk allegedly took large amounts of drugs while advising Trump – reportThe Republican nominee for governor of Virginia has recently tried to distance herself from her longstanding, hardline anti-abortion record, declining recently to state whether she would support any restrictions on abortion access if she is elected to lead the state this fall. But her record reveals a candidate staunchly opposed to the procedure.Winsome Earle-Sears, now the state’s lieutenant governor, supported a 15-week abortion ban and has previously said she wants to make abortion illegal in almost all cases. In audio obtained by the Guardian, Earle-Sears also suggested an equivalence between consenting to sex and consenting to pregnancy. Continue reading...

Politics

8 d. ago So long, Elon: the cuts didn’t go to plan, but you completely shredded your reputation | Marina Hyde

Judging by Musk’s approval ratings, Tesla investors won’t be the only ones happy to see the dethroning of the king of DogeI can’t believe that Elon Musk is leaving Doge, the government department he named after a tired and basic meme that most of the internet had moved on from around a decade ago. “As my scheduled time as a Special Government Employee comes to an end,” Musk wrote this week (capital letters: model’s own), “I would like to thank President @realDonaldTrump for the opportunity to reduce wasteful government spending.” Oh man. “Thank you for the opportunity”?! At some level you have to salute Donald Trump’s ability to turn even the world’s richest man into an Apprentice candidate who leaves in week four after completely wiping out in the hotdog stand task.Musk arrived in government promising to slash spending by $2tn. He leaves it a mere $1.86tn short of that target, even by his own estimations. Meanwhile, the president’s new tax bill is set to add $2.3tn to the deficit. ...

Politics

8 d. ago Top DOGE officials are already fleeing as Musk leaves government

Three officials, also limited by their Special Government Employee status, are set to leave DOGE alongside the tech billionaire

Politics

8 d. ago The chaos Elon Musk and Doge are leaving behind in Washington

Though the billionaire vowed modernization and efficiency, what’s left is a trail of uncertainty and reduced functionalityElon Musk formally exited his role in the Trump administration on Wednesday night, ending a contentious and generally unpopular run as a senior adviser to the president and de facto head of the so-called “department of government efficiency” (Doge). Though he promised efficiency and modernization, Musk leaves behind a trail of uncertainty and reduced functionality.The timing of Musk’s departure lines up with the end of his 130-day term limit as a “special government employee” but also plays a part in an effort by the billionaire to signal a wider shift away from Washington as he faces backlash from the public and shareholders. Musk has recently made a show of refocusing his efforts on his tech companies in interviews, saying that he has spent too much time focused on politics and plans to reduce his political spending in the future. Continue reading...

Events

8 d. ago AP PHOTOS: Elon Musk leaves the White House after a turbulent effort to slash the government

The nation's capital had never seen anyone like Elon Musk, who announced this week that he's stepping back from his role as Donald Trump's most unorthodox adviser.

Politics

3 w. ago Ministers face new demand to postpone inheritance tax raid on farmers as MPs warn rushed plan will hammer the 'vulnerable' and elderly

The Commons Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee said the Government had failed to properly consult on the policy, leaving its potential impact 'disputed and unclear'.

Events

3 w. ago Thousands of London civil servants to leave city as government cuts costs

Thousands of London civil servants to leave city as government cuts costs  South China Morning Post

Politics

3 w. ago White South Africans given ‘refugee’ status arrive in US as Trump administration told they got ‘wrong end of the stick’ – live

Trump administration welcomes 59 white South Africans who were granted refugee status in US for being deemed victims of racial discriminationQatar has offered to donate a plane to the United States and details are still being worked out, White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said on Monday.“The Qatari Government has graciously offered to donate a plane to the Department of Defense. The legal details of that are still being worked out,” Leavitt said in an interview with Fox News. Continue reading...

Events

3 w. ago Trump says tariffs on China imports won’t return to 145% and that he sees a deal – live

Trump warns US could raise tariffs after 90-day pause on trade war with China but expresses confidence a deal will be madeChina and US agree 90-day pause to trade warQatar has offered to donate a plane to the United States and details are still being worked out, White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said on Monday.“The Qatari Government has graciously offered to donate a plane to the Department of Defense. The legal details of that are still being worked out,” Leavitt said in an interview with Fox News. Continue reading...

Economics