Author: James Carter

Sir Ken McCallum says Russian trolls did “attempt” to meddle in the 2016 referendum, but that the key question is what those efforts actually achieved. The head of MI5, Sir Ken McCallum, has warned that reopening the row over Russian interference in the 2016 EU referendum will please Vladimir Putin’s propagandists. He said Russian trolls did “attempt” to meddle in the vote, but that it was “important to focus on the difference between what may have been attempted and what actually resulted”. His comments came during MI5’s annual threat update at Thames House, and they have added to the pressure…

Asked where she passed her bar exam, the president’s new spokeswoman said it was “when I moved to China”. The answer has done little to settle scrutiny of her qualifications as an attorney. Katie Zacharia, 41, who replaced Karoline Leavitt as White House press secretary last week, has been questioned over where she qualified as a lawyer. A reporter put the question to President Donald Trump on Tuesday, and he passed it to her. She replied: “When I moved to China.” She gave no further explanation. Her name does not appear in the attorney directories of any US state or…

The prime minister told MPs he was not questioning the referendum result, but would not commit to publishing evidence, as Nigel Farage branded him “a liar”. Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said it is “inconceivable” that Russia did not try to interfere in the 2016 EU referendum. In a podcast interview he said it was “clear” that Moscow had interfered, but later told MPs he had not been questioning the legitimacy of the vote. A No 10 spokesperson said Mr Burnham thought it highly likely Russia tried to influence the result, but did not believe those efforts succeeded. Reform UK…

GasBuddy’s Patrick De Haan says he is “skeptical” the agreement will bring significant relief, while six US senators have called for it to be reversed. President Donald Trump’s agreement with Vladimir Putin to supply Russian diesel may do little to bring down prices, according to Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at the fuel-price tracker GasBuddy. Mr Trump announced the deal on Friday as diesel costs remain far above last year’s levels. In an analysis released on Monday, Mr De Haan said the plan “raises more questions than it answers”. Six US senators from both parties have also urged…

A magistrate has ordered the release of Abhijeet Dipke and two senior colleagues on condition they keep the peace, while demonstrators calling for the election commissioner’s resignation were held for a second day. Police in Delhi detained hundreds more protesters on Sunday as scattered demonstrations flared again, with demonstrators demanding the departure of India’s chief election commissioner. A Delhi executive magistrate separately ordered the release of Abhijeet Dipke, founder of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), along with co-leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka. The three had been detained aboard a plane arriving from Mumbai. More than 2,000 people were reportedly…

Police acted on a tip-off about a possible attack on the prime minister and the defence minister, as the country remains on high alert after a week of school stabbings. Poland has detained a man accused of plotting to assassinate Prime Minister Donald Tusk and Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, Mr Tusk said on Sunday. The arrest followed an emergency meeting of the country’s security services, convened at short notice after police received information about a possible attack. The Interior Minister also confirmed the detention. Authorities have not disclosed the suspect’s identity. The arrest Writing on X, Mr Tusk said: “The…

Best for Britain says Finland’s accession shows the process can be quick when countries are closely aligned and there is strong political will on both sides, though the plan is a proposal rather than an agreed timetable. Britain could be fast-tracked back into the European Union within a single parliament, according to a new report by the pro-European campaign group Best for Britain. The report, “How the UK joins the EU, and how long it would take”, is backed by senior figures including a leading member of the European Parliament. It argues that negotiations could take less time than the…

Reform UK says it will go beyond visa restrictions and threaten trade and airspace penalties against governments that will not accept the return of illegal migrants and foreign criminals. Reform UK is to pledge the use of tariffs to force countries to take back illegal migrants, according to plans due to be announced at a press conference on Monday. Leader Nigel Farage will set out the measures alongside home affairs spokesman Zia Yusuf. The party had already promised visa bans on legal visitors from countries including Pakistan, Afghanistan, Syria, Eritrea, Sudan and Somalia if they do not accept returns. It…

The former prime minister says it is sickening that the US is easing sanctions on Russian fuel, as Mr Trump suggests Ukraine should get a new president and Andy Burnham reaffirms his support for Kyiv. Boris Johnson has condemned Donald Trump’s comments on Ukraine, calling them “sickening” in a post on X on Saturday. The former prime minister was reacting after Mr Trump said at the White House that Ukraine should get “a new leader”, hours after the US president announced a deal with Vladimir Putin to buy Russian diesel. Mr Trump is also reported to have blamed Ukraine for…

The president ridiculed the wording of state legislation while campaigning for Republican gubernatorial nominee Bruce Blakeman, then widened his attack to Governor Kathy Hochul’s record. President Donald Trump mocked terminology in a New York surrogacy bill during a rally at the Oncenter in Syracuse on Friday 9 October. He was campaigning for Republican gubernatorial nominee Bruce Blakeman, who is challenging Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul. The legislation, passed by state lawmakers, replaces “mother” and “father” in parts of state law with terms including “gestating parent” and “non-gestating parent”. Mr Trump’s remarks drew laughter from supporters. What the president said Mr Trump…