The UK government is considering changing the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) for disabled people so that some could receive support like equipment or training instead of only cash. A committee of experts, mostly disabled people, suggested this change to improve support and help disabled people live more independently.
Key Facts
PIP currently gives disabled people cash payments between £30.30 and £194.60 weekly.
New proposals suggest claimants could swap some cash for specialist equipment, services, or training.
PIP would still be non-means-tested, meaning it is not based on income.
The committee wants to speed up claims for people with terminal illnesses and reduce reassessments for those with lifelong conditions.
They suggest reviewing rules that stop PIP after 28 days in hospital, which some find stressful.
The review came after public backlash stopped planned government cuts to disability benefits in 2025.
Nearly 4 million people in England and Wales claim PIP to help cover extra costs related to disability.
The committee will test the recommendations with disabled people around the UK before finalizing them.
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Experts warn that 25 years after the 9/11 attacks, the US is facing increased risks from terrorism due to fewer resources, experienced staff leaving, and less focus on the threat. They also say President Donald Trump's approach shifted attention and funds toward drug cartels, which has affected counter-terrorism efforts.
Key Facts
The 9/11 attacks happened 25 years ago and killed about 3,000 people.
Since then, no large-scale terrorist attacks have occurred in the US, but threats remain.
Experts say US counter-terrorism efforts are losing resources and trained personnel.
President Trump redirected resources toward fighting drug cartels by labeling them as foreign terrorist groups.
Some intelligence officials criticize Trump's appointments to key security positions as lacking experience.
The US intelligence community is facing morale problems due to political pressures and shifting priorities.
The US government requested $81 billion for intelligence agencies for the 2026 fiscal year.
An updated counter-terrorism strategy from the Trump administration focuses less on right-wing extremism, which some experts find controversial.
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Many cancer patients in England face long waits for surgery, causing their cancer to spread and treatment to become more difficult. The government set targets to start treatment quickly, but current data shows fewer patients are treated on time, raising concern about avoidable deaths.
Key Facts
Alan, a lung cancer patient, waited nearly five months for surgery instead of a few weeks, allowing his cancer to spread.
England aims for 80% of cancer patients to begin treatment within 62 days by March 2027, rising to 85% later.
Currently, only about 69.9% of patients start treatment within 62 days, down from 71.9%.
Experts say government cancer treatment targets are now impossible to reach due to poor planning and no clear leadership.
For every month a patient waits to start treatment, their chance of survival falls by roughly 10%.
Over 3,000 extra patients each month would need timely treatment to meet targets, and this number may increase as more people get referred.
Some hospitals like Salisbury have improved wait times for certain cancers by focusing on basics like appointment management and staff recruitment.
Innovative surgeries, like one used for a facial cancer patient at Salisbury, can remove tumors effectively and reduce the need for multiple operations.
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The Republican National Committee held its first midterm convention in Dallas, with a strong focus on President Donald Trump. The event featured many images and symbols supporting the president and his political message.
Key Facts
The Republican National Committee hosted a midterm convention in Dallas for the first time.
The event lasted two days and began on a Wednesday.
The convention was nicknamed “Trump-a-Palooza” because it prominently featured President Trump.
Large posters of President Trump were displayed around the venue, showing him in various moments.
Attendees wore red, white, and blue baseball caps with Trump’s name.
The convention took place at the American Airlines Center.
The focus was on rallying support for the Republican Party and President Trump ahead of the midterm elections.
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The funeral for PC Tom Clough, a police officer killed in a crash on the A66 near Middlesbrough, will take place on Thursday. He died alongside another officer, PC Matthew Blades, and five young men after a car collided with their police vehicle.
Key Facts
PC Tom Clough died on August 22 near Middlesbrough in a crash on the A66 road.
The crash involved a Volkswagen Passat driving the wrong way and colliding with the officers’ marked police car.
PC Matthew Blades also died in the same crash; his funeral was held on Wednesday.
The five men in the Passat, all aged between 17 and 23, died in the accident.
Officers had been aware of the Passat due to cloned license plates through an automatic camera system but were not chasing it at the time.
PC Clough previously served in the Army and is remembered by his family and community for his dedication.
More than £1.2 million was raised to support the families of both officers through a fundraiser by the Cleveland Police Federation.
Hundreds of police officers and community members attended PC Blades’ funeral, showing widespread support.
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President Donald Trump asked Republican voters to act as if he is running in the November midterm elections. He promised to give $5,000 to every adult in the U.S. if the Republican Party keeps control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate.
Key Facts
President Trump spoke at the Republican National Committee (RNC) midterm convention.
He urged GOP supporters to "pretend" he is on the ballot for the November elections.
He promised $5,000 to every U.S. adult if Republicans hold the House and Senate.
The speech was given during the first night of the convention.
The midterm elections will decide control of both the House and Senate.
President Trump is emphasizing Republican unity and voter turnout.
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President Donald Trump spoke at the first Republican midterms convention in Dallas, aiming to boost Republican turnout for the November elections. His speech showed he still controls the party and emphasized that voters should act as if he is on the ballot, despite not running.
Key Facts
The Republican midterms convention in Dallas served as a rally, not for official party business.
The event attracted mostly Trump supporters wearing red MAGA gear.
Moderate Republicans, like Senator Susan Collins, did not attend.
Trump acknowledged that historically, the party in power loses midterm seats.
He asked supporters to vote as if he himself was on the ballot to help the party win.
Trump’s control over the Republican Party remains very strong.
There is no clear successor to Trump to lead the party in future elections.
Trump also mentioned that relief from high gas prices might take longer due to tensions with Iran.
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A new law called Trew’s law is being proposed to automatically review criminal cases where police officers who are later jailed were involved. The law aims to fix past wrongful convictions caused by corrupt officers like DS Derek Ridgewell in England and Wales by starting immediate, independent checks on their cases.
Key Facts
Trew’s law is named after Winston Trew, who was wrongly convicted and spent decades clearing his name.
The law would require automatic reviews of cases linked to any jailed police officer in England and Wales.
DS Derek Ridgewell, a corrupt officer, was jailed in 1980 for stealing and was linked to many wrongful convictions.
Since 2018, 13 convictions related to Ridgewell have been overturned, with a 14th case under review.
Police forces have been criticized for not reviewing Ridgewell’s past cases sooner.
Research found at least 64 police officers have been jailed from 2023 to 2026 for crimes like dishonesty and violence.
There is currently no central system to track jailed officers or review their past police cases.
The proposed law would notify affected people quickly if their conviction might be unsafe due to the officer’s misconduct.
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President Donald Trump said that if Republicans keep control of both the House and Senate in the midterm elections, every adult American would receive $5,000. He made this promise during a long speech at the Republican midterm convention in Dallas, where he also criticized Democrats and highlighted his economic record.
Key Facts
President Trump promised a $5,000 payment to every adult citizen if Republicans win the midterm elections.
The speech took place at the Republican midterm convention in Dallas.
Trump claimed his administration’s economic success made the payment possible.
The speech lasted nearly two hours and included attacks on Democrats.
Trump urged voters to imagine he was on the ballot to encourage turnout.
Many Republican candidates in close races did not attend the convention.
Trump falsely claimed the arena was full of people despite visible empty seats.
The Republican National Committee allowed almost immediate ticket approval instead of a lottery system initially promised.
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President Donald Trump spoke at the 2026 Republican National Convention in Dallas, urging supporters to act as if he is “on the ballot” in the upcoming midterm elections. He highlighted his administration’s successes, promised financial incentives if Republicans keep control of Congress, and warned against the policies of the Democratic Party.
Key Facts
President Trump told supporters to imagine he is running for office again to motivate them to vote.
He claimed the past two years have been the most successful financially in U.S. presidential history.
Trump promised $5,000 direct payments to all American adults if Republicans retain control of both the House and Senate, though details are unclear.
Republican leaders portrayed the election as a choice between their party and an extreme version of the Democrats.
A Democratic senator, John Fetterman, surprising the audience, criticized the left within his own party and praised a Republican opponent.
Several vulnerable Republican candidates attended the convention to show support and highlight cooperation with Trump’s policies.
Republican officials emphasized achievements like a $50 billion rural healthcare fund created under Trump’s administration.
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President Donald Trump said he will give each adult American $5,000 if the Republican Party wins both the Senate and House in the upcoming midterm elections. He called this payment the "Trump dividend" during a speech at the Republican Midterm Convention in Dallas.
Key Facts
President Trump promised a $5,000 payment to every adult American if Republicans keep control of both the Senate and House.
The promise was made at the Republican Midterm Convention in Dallas.
Trump called the payment the "Trump dividend."
This proposal is linked to the results of the 2024 midterm elections.
President Trump has suggested similar payouts before.
Elon Musk proposed a $5,000 "DOGE dividend" last year, which Trump liked but never happened.
The promise is part of the Republican campaign strategy.
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Senator John Fetterman, a Democrat from Pennsylvania, said he will continue to work with the Democratic Party even though he made a video appearance at the Republican National Committee’s midterm convention. He introduced Dave McCormick, a Republican candidate, as a friend and emphasized they share a goal of supporting Pennsylvania.
Key Facts
Senator John Fetterman is a Democrat representing Pennsylvania.
He appeared in a video at the Republican National Committee’s midterm convention.
In the video, Fetterman introduced Dave McCormick, who is a Republican and a candidate.
Fetterman called McCormick a “great American and friend.”
Fetterman said they belong to different parties but both support Pennsylvania.
Fetterman confirmed he will continue to caucus, or work, with the Democratic Party.
Caucusing means joining a party’s group for planning and voting in the Senate.
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President Donald Trump promised to give every adult in the United States $5,000 if the Republican Party keeps control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate after the November elections. He linked this pledge to the economic strength he claims the Republicans have created.
Key Facts
President Donald Trump announced a plan to pay $5,000 to each U.S. adult.
This payment would only happen if Republicans keep the majority in both the House and Senate.
The offer is tied to Republicans winning the November congressional elections.
Trump connected the pledge to what he calls strong economic performance under Republican leadership.
The House of Representatives and the Senate are parts of the U.S. Congress.
The announcement was made publicly on a Wednesday before the election.
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President Trump said he would give every American citizen a $5,000 payment if Republicans keep control of both the House and Senate after the midterm elections. He did not explain how the payments would be funded or approved by Congress.
Key Facts
President Trump announced the $5,000 payment during a speech at the Republican National Committee's midterm convention in Dallas.
The payment would be given only if Republicans win both the House of Representatives and the Senate.
The payments are called "Trump Dividends" but details on how they would be provided or funded are not clear.
Trump previously suggested similar ideas like $2,000 payments funded by tariffs.
Past broad payments, like the COVID stimulus checks, were used to help the economy but also contributed to inflation.
Trump compared the proposed dividends to other programs he supported, such as child investment funds and military bonuses approved by Congress.
The proposal comes as Republicans try to motivate voters ahead of the November midterms.
The story is ongoing and further updates may come.
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President Donald Trump defended Senate Majority Leader John Thune after some people booed Thune at the Republican midterm convention in Dallas. Trump praised Thune’s work against Democrats and said he expects Thune to have great success.
Key Facts
The booing of John Thune happened when President Trump mentioned his name at the Republican midterm convention.
The boos were loud and came from many parts of the convention hall.
Trump spoke up to support Thune, saying he is working hard and facing tough opposition from Democrats.
Republicans currently hold a small majority in both the House and Senate.
Trump has pressured Thune before about voting laws and Senate session schedules.
Thune has sometimes disagreed with the more conservative members of the Republican Party.
The convention in Dallas is the first Republican midterm convention and focuses a lot on Trump’s role in energizing voters for the upcoming elections.
Newsweek reached out to Thune’s office but did not report additional comments yet.
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Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee lost the Democratic primary to Helena Foulkes, marking the first time in 12 years that a sitting U.S. governor lost a party primary. Foulkes won with 62.4 percent of the vote and will be the Democratic candidate for governor in the upcoming election.
Key Facts
Dan McKee is the current governor of Rhode Island.
Helena Foulkes defeated McKee with 62.4% of the vote in the Democratic primary.
McKee became governor in 2021 after Gina Raimondo left to join President Biden’s administration.
McKee won a full term in 2022 but lost his bid for a second full term in the 2024 primary.
This is the first time in over 30 years a Rhode Island governor lost a primary.
Foulkes previously worked as an executive at CVS and Hudson’s Bay.
McKee faced criticism over how his administration handled the Washington Bridge closure in 2023.
Foulkes said she aims to serve all people of Rhode Island as governor.
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President Donald Trump announced that if Republicans win control of both the House and Senate in the midterm elections, he will give every adult American a $5,000 dividend check. He said this money would come from the country's economic success and must be spent within the United States.
Key Facts
President Trump made this announcement during the Republican National Convention for the midterm elections.
The proposed $5,000 dividend would go to every adult citizen in the U.S.
Trump compared the payment to a company sharing profits with its shareholders.
He claimed the U.S. economy is strong enough to support this payment.
The money must be spent inside the U.S., not in other countries like Canada, China, or Germany.
It is unclear how the government would track or enforce where the dividend money is spent.
Trump called the payment the "Trump dividend."
The plan depends on Republicans winning both the House and Senate in the elections.
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Peter FitzSimons, a columnist for the Sydney Morning Herald, gave evidence in court about a phone call he had in 2019 with a man who accused broadcaster Alan Jones of repeated sexual misconduct. The man described being emotionally upset and detailed several instances of inappropriate touching by Jones. Jones denies the charges and is standing trial for multiple counts of indecent assault and sexual touching.
Key Facts
Peter FitzSimons spoke with an alleged victim of Alan Jones by phone in 2019.
The alleged victim said Jones pushed him against a lift wall and kissed him about 10 years earlier.
The man described Jones touching his leg and penis while he was working as Jones’s driver.
The alleged victim was tearful and said he felt emotionally hurt and “revolted” by what happened.
Alan Jones faces 20 charges of indecent assault and 2 charges of sexual touching related to six men.
Eight charges specifically relate to this alleged victim.
The conversation FitzSimons had was arranged by another 2GB broadcaster, Ray Hadley.
The trial is ongoing in Sydney court before Judge Glenn Walsh.
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Retired FBI Special Agent Jeffrey Miller, who responded to the Pentagon attack on September 11, 2001, is now battling cancer linked to exposure to toxic debris from that day. He is advocating for changes to the World Trade Center (WTC) Health Program to help other 9/11 responders suffering similar health problems.
Key Facts
Jeffrey Miller served as an FBI agent and was on the evidence response team after the Pentagon attack on 9/11.
Miller also worked on investigations related to earlier al-Qaeda attacks on U.S. embassies in Africa and the USS Cole bombing.
After 9/11, Miller spent weeks at the Pentagon site recovering evidence from the wreckage.
Many FBI agents and first responders were exposed to toxic materials at 9/11 sites, leading to long-term health issues like cancer.
Over 30 FBI personnel have died from cancer or other illnesses related to 9/11 toxic exposure.
Miller personally knows about a dozen FBI agents who died from illnesses linked to the 9/11 attacks.
He is pushing for improvements to the WTC Health Program that supports 9/11 responders with health problems.
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Senator Jacqui Lambie criticized Pauline Hanson and the One Nation party for posting a cartoon that calls Liberal politician Andrew Hastie a traitor. Hastie, a former SAS soldier, gave evidence against war hero Ben Roberts-Smith in a legal case, which led to the cartoon and condemnations from several politicians.
Key Facts
One Nation posted a cartoon calling Andrew Hastie a traitor because of his testimony in a defamation case.
Andrew Hastie is a former SAS soldier who served in Afghanistan twice.
Jacqui Lambie, a fellow veteran and senator, called Pauline Hanson a coward for attacking Hastie.
The cartoon has been condemned by senior Liberal politicians, including opposition leader Angus Taylor.
Hastie says Hanson and Nationals defector Barnaby Joyce should take responsibility for the cartoon.
Hanson denies personally calling Hastie a coward but posted the video on her social media.
Hastie will not take legal action due to Hanson’s financial support from billionaire Gina Rinehart.
Greens senator David Shoebridge criticized Hanson’s attack on Hastie for telling the truth under oath.
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