UK Could Quickly Re-enter EU with ‘Switzerland Plus’ Deal, Senior MEP Says

THE GUARDIAN: Bernd Lange, who was involved in Brexit talks, says deal could be negotiated within months of any decision to deepen ties

Andy Burnham has said he is looking at all options for the UK’s relationship with the EU. Photograph: Tobias Schwarz/AFP/Getty Images
The UK could re-enter the EU in a “Switzerland plus” package that could be negotiated within months of any decision to deepen ties with the bloc, the head of a European parliament committee has said.

Bernd Lange, who was heavily involved in Brexit negotiations, said: “I would love to see the UK back.” He said the EU missed the UK in decision-making because of its strong history of promoting open markets and democracy.

A Swiss style arrangement is often considered a halfway house to full membership of the bloc but involves free movement and regulatory alignment.

Switzerland is not a member of the EU but it struck a deal last year cementing its “frictionless access” to the single market across more than 100 agreements with a new framework deal.

This gives it access to the EU’s electricity market, space programmes, Erasmus and the Digital Europe research programme, and participation in the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.

In exchange, Switzerland agreed to the free movement of people and to pay €375m (£326m) a year into the EU’s economic and cohesion funds. » | Lisa O’Carroll Senior correspondent | Friday, October 16, 2026

Derrière le deal entre les États-Unis et la Russie, les bonnes affaires de Donald Trump et de ses proches

Jared Kushner et Steve Witkoff à la rencontre de Vladimir Poutine, le 5 septembre dernier à Moscou. GAVRIIL GRIGOROV / AFP
LE FIGARO : RÉCIT - Les négociations de contrats au bénéfice du président de la première puissance mondiale, ou de son cercle proche, sont au cœur de la diplomatie américaine. Dernier exemple en date, un accord pétrolier profitant à Steve Witkoff et Jared Kushner, en marge des discussions avec Vladimir Poutine.

La stratégie américaine évoque un mélange de Risk et de Monopoly. De la Russie au Moyen-Orient, du Venezuela à Cuba, la diplomatie de la première puissance mondiale voit de plus en plus fréquemment les intérêts patrimoniaux du président américain et de sa famille se mêler aux considérations géopolitiques, avec des conséquences stratégiques majeures. Échappant dorénavant largement au Congrès et au Département d’État, les affaires étrangères sont gérées de façon opaque par Jared Kushner et Steve Witkoff, le gendre et l’ami du président.

Se déroulant généralement sans témoins ni traces écrites, les discussions sur les affaires internationales incluent les négociations de fructueux contrats dont bénéficient les intéressés ou leurs familles, ou bien des groupes financiers leur étant liés. Et au lieu de constituer des à-côtés lucratifs aux discussions, elles en deviennent l’élément central. L’accélération du pivot américain en faveur de Moscou dans le conflit russo-ukrainien au cours du week-end s’est accompagnée d’un extraordinaire tournant dans les négociations avec la Russie. » | Par Adrien Jaulmes, correspondant à Washington | jeudi 15 octobre 2026

Réservé aux abonnés

Peter Stevanic: “There Is Not a Single Sign of Any Overall Economic Damage Done by Brexit,” Says Nigel Farage

October 15, 2026

That charlatan—Farage—has done untold damage to the UK economy; furthermore, he has robbed UK citizens of their rights as European citizens, which they once had. That intolerable man is full of hot air. Further, he lacks all and any substance, just like all snake oil salesmen do. — © Mark Alexander

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Brésil : le Parlement approuve la réduction du temps de travail, promise par Lula

Un participant tient un objet représentant le président brésilien Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva comme un prisonnier, tout en assistant à un rassemblement de campagne pour le candidat présidentiel Flavio Bolsonaro du Parti libéral (PL) à Porto Alegre, Brésil, le 14 octobre 2026 Diego Vara / REUTERS
LE FIGARO : Le président de gauche Lula mise sur cette réforme pour combler son retard sur le sénateur conservateur Flavio Bolsonaro, en vue du second tour de la présidentielle.

Le Parlement brésilien a adopté mercredi la réduction du temps de travail par le biais d'une réforme constitutionnelle sur laquelle le président de gauche Lula mise pour combler son retard sur le sénateur conservateur Flavio Bolsonaro, en vue du second tour de la présidentielle.

Cette réforme, défendue par le gouvernement de Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva depuis des mois, permet à de nombreux Brésiliens de bénéficier de deux jours de repos hebdomadaires, contre un seul actuellement, et réduit de 44 à 40 heures le nombre d'heures de travail par semaine. » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | jeudi 15 octobre 2026

Poland’s Ascent from Communist State to Top 20 Economy Reverses the Brain Drain

THE GUARDIAN: In the final part of our series on the country, Poles tell how wages have soared – along with the cost of living

A view of Warsaw from the observation deck of Varso Tower, the tallest building in the EU at 310 metres. In the background, the Palace of Culture and Science, built in the 1950s as a symbol of the postwar socialist era. Photograph: Anna Liminowicz/The Guardian
Above the rain-soaked streets of Warsaw, the observation deck of the Varso tower overlooks Joseph Stalin’s gift to Poland that has divided opinion for decades.

For some, the Soviet-era Palace of Culture and Science is a drunk confectioner’s nightmare; standing as a relic of oppression that should have been demolished. For others, it is an icon on the skyline and a monumental warning from history.

For the managers of the Varso – completed four years ago, as the tallest building in the EU – with its 310m-high spire rising symbolically above its Stalinist neighbour, it is a waypoint on Poland’s rapid path to economic prosperity.

“We look down on it,” says Cezary Błaszczyk, the managing director of HB Reavis in Poland, which owns the tower, gesturing at the palace opposite. A few months ago a slackline walker traversed the 500m gap between the buildings. “It was a symbolic walk from the past to the future,” says his colleague Natalia Kasperska.

“Since we are higher and taller than the Palace of Culture, we treat it as: ‘We got over communism, and now we are a country with a strong economy,’” Błaszczyk says.

Over the four decades since regaining its independence from Soviet-dominated rule, Poland has been transformed. Excluding oil-exporting states and financial hubs, incomes have converged with western levels at the fastest rate in the world; from 40% of the EU average in the mid-1990s to 81% last year. » | Richard Partington in Warsaw | Thursday, October 15, 2026

Ukraine Found Russia’s Weakness. Trump Is Protecting It, Browder Argues

Oct 14, 2026 | Could Donald Trump’s diesel deal help protect Russia’s oil infrastructure from Ukrainian attacks? Bill Browder, an investor and long-time sanctions advocate, argues that the deal resulted from Russian President Vladimir Putin’s plea to Trump to help protect Russia’s energy infrastructure from Ukrainian drone strikes. Browder argues that Russia’s dependence on oil revenues makes its energy infrastructure a critical vulnerability – and for the same reason, Ukraine should keep up the pressure.

The Kyiv Independent’s Tim Zadorozhnyy speaks with Browder about Trump’s deal to allow Russian diesel supplies to the U.S., the implications for Ukraine and Western policy, and whether sanctions can force Russia to negotiate. Browder explains why he believes sanctions on Russian crude oil could significantly weaken Moscow’s ability to fund the war.

Allemagne : droite et gauche radicales s’allient pour un appel à cesser l’aide à l’Ukraine et à normaliser les relations avec la Russie

LE FIGARO : « Le soutien financier à l’Ukraine dépassant le cadre de l’aide humanitaire doit être immédiatement arrêté », est-il écrit dans le texte voté mercredi, qui exhorte aussi à la levée « immédiate » des sanctions contre la Russie.

Le Parlement de Saxe-Anhalt, désormais dominé par l'extrême droite, soutenue par une formation de gauche radicale, a adopté mercredi un appel à cesser l'aide militaire à l'Ukraine et à normaliser les relations avec la Russie.

Formation prorusse et antimigrants, l'Alternative pour l'Allemagne (AfD), après sa victoire écrasante aux élections régionales de septembre dans cette région d'ex-Allemagne de l'Est, domine l'assemblée mais elle a besoin des cinq élus du BSW pour disposer de la majorité absolue. » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | mercredi 14 octobre 2026

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Do We Need to Talk About Brexit?

Oct 14, 2026 | Andy Burnham announced this week that UK and EU leaders will meet in November to discuss a reset in relations. Brexit has been bad for the country, Burnham said, and a closer relationship with Europe will foster economic growth and strengthen national security. Is he right? What is he hoping to accomplish in November? And is now the time to reopen the fraught debate over Britain’s decision to leave the EU? …

The 2026 Midterm Illusion: Why Trump’s Executive Coup Is Already Unstoppable

As the 2026 midterm elections approach, traditional political commentators are treating the moment like business as usual. But behind the scenes, historical norms no longer apply.

In this video, we break down how Donald Trump’s rolling, inside-out coup against American democracy has evolved from the events of January 6 into a permanent shift toward autocratic rule. From governing almost exclusively through executive decree to expanding domestic deportation forces and pivoting toward Moscow, the formal structures of democracy are rapidly giving way.


ANTHONY DAVIS can be supported on Patreon here »

Saudi Energy Giant Struck as War Spikes Between Houthis and Saudi Arabia

THE NEW YORK TIMES: The attack came after the Yemeni militia warned it would attack the headquarters of Aramco. The Saudi-led coalition said it was targeting Houthi capabilities.

A man looking over the skyline of Sanaa, Yemen, on Tuesday. Credit: Mohammed Huwais/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images
A building owned by the energy giant Aramco was set ablaze late Tuesday in a strike on the Saudi city housing its headquarters, the kingdom’s energy ministry said, as war spiked between the Houthi militia in Yemen and Saudi Arabia.

The Houthis had threatened earlier in the day to attack the Aramco headquarters in the eastern city of Dhahran, but did not immediately take responsibility for the strike. It came after the Iranian-backed militia reported that two major oil facilities in Yemen had been attacked by Saudi forces on Tuesday.

The Saudi energy ministry said in a statement that the strike in Dhahran had hit an Aramco administrative building and caused “a limited fire” and no injuries.

By late Tuesday, residents of both countries were on edge as explosions were repeatedly heard in their capital cities. A Saudi-led coalition said it was targeting Yemeni facilities that support the Houthi war effort, while the Houthis vowed to retaliate against comparable sites in Saudi Arabia.

The Saudi authorities issued warnings of an aerial threat in the Saudi capital, Riyadh. And Maj. Gen. Turki al-Maliki, a spokesman for the Saudi-led coalition, said four cruise missiles fired toward Riyadh and southern Saudi Arabia had been intercepted, along with two drones.

Mr. al-Maliki also reported that a ballistic missile launched toward the city of Damman [sic] in the eastern part of the kingdom by the Houthis had been intercepted, and that shrapnel fell in a residential area of neighboring Dhahran. » | Ismaeel Naar and Pranav Baskar | Reporting from Dubai, United Arab Emirates. | Tuesday, October 13, 2026

The Dark Truth behind Your Cheap Cigarettes - Behind the Investigation | BBC News

Oct 13, 2026 | One in every six cigarettes smoked in the UK is counterfeit. In this episode of BBC News Behind the Investigation, Melanie Stewart-Smith talks to File on 4 Investigates reporter Jane Deith about how the team uncovered the global criminal networks flooding Britain with fake cigarettes, and the human cost behind every cheap pack.

Jane explains how the team traced the supply chain from secret factories in Belgium to corner shops, minimarts and cash and carries across the UK.

We also look at why gangs are moving from drugs to fake cigarettes.

A former senior Europol official says they now make as much money as they do from drugs, with far lower prison sentences if they're caught.

The profits are being used to fund weapons, people smuggling and even terrorism. Do people really know what they're funding when they buy cheap cigarettes?


Is there any wonder that there are so many counterfeit cigarettes being sold when the cost of genuine cigarettes is so high because of taxes? The government will never be able to put a stop to this whilst they insist on hiking the price of legit cigarettes all the time. This isn't rocket science. Burst the bubble by substantially lowering the price of legal cigarettes. This will go a long way to solve the problem. — © Mark Alexander

Little Things

Oct 13, 2026 | JD Vance says this isn’t the time to “gripe about all the little things" like gas, groceries, rent, your mortgage.

The Lincoln Project is a leading pro-democracy organization in the United States — dedicated to the preservation, protection, and defense of democracy. Our fight against Trumpism is only beginning. We must combat these forces everywhere and at all times — our democracy depends on it.

Paris' Oldest Food Market Destroyed by Fire, Locals Heartbroken

Oct 13, 2026| Paris residents and visitors are mourning the loss of the city's oldest covered food market after a fire broke out on Monday, October 12.

Established in 1615 during the reign of Louis XIII, the historic market in the Marais district was a beloved neighbourhood landmark. Locals described the damage as heartbreaking and expressed fears that reopening could take years.

The cause of the fire remains unknown.

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October 12, 2026

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Dr Bandy Lee Assesses Trump's Plan to Subvert the Midterm Elections

Oct 12, 2026 |

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Andy Burnham Says It Is Clear Russia Interfered in Brexit Referendum

THE GUARDIAN: PM says he asked question upon entering No 10 but does not reveal who gave him ‘clear answer’ that Russia meddled

Screenshot taken from this Guardian article. | Andy Burnham: ‘We haven’t informed people sufficiently about the extent to which people are seeking to disrupt the political process from overseas.’ Photograph: Christopher Furlong/AFP/Getty Images
Andy Burnham has said it is clear Russia interfered in the Brexit referendum, after seeking answers on the Kremlin’s involvement in the 2016 vote when he entered Downing Street.

Burnham said he had asked whether Moscow had attempted to influence the referendum and received a confirmation that it had.

Speaking on the podcast The Rest is Politics, Burnham said: “I asked the question coming to Downing Street: well, was there interference in the 2016 referendum from Russia? I’ve had the clear answer that yes, there was.”

His comments mark a significant departure from the position taken by past Conservative governments, which insisted there was no evidence of successful interference by Russia in the hugely consequential referendum vote.

Burnham did not disclose who had given him the assessment, what evidence it was based on or whether any interference had affected the result of the vote.

A report by parliament’s intelligence and security committee in 2020 criticised the government and intelligence agencies for failing to properly investigate potential Russian interference in the referendum. » | Aletha Adu Political correspondent | Sunday, October 11, 2026

At last! A prime minister willing and courageous enough to tell us the truth! It was as clear as crystal to the wide-awake that Russia was behind that ridiculous Brexit referendum. What must be done now is simple: Brexit must be reversed. ASAP — © Mark Alexander

At Least 12 Killed in Houthi Attack on Saudi Airport

THE NEW YORK TIMES: The Iran-backed Houthi militia launched a deadly attack on an international airport in Saudi Arabia’s capital on Saturday that Saudi officials said killed at least 12 people and injured more than 300 others. | Julie Yoon | Saturday, October 11, 2026

Watch the short NYT video here »

Trump May Join Saudi War after Houthi Strike Kills 12

THE TELEGRAPH: US citizen among dead in attack on Riyadh airport in deadliest assault on Gulf Arab country since Iran war began

Donald Trump is considering joining Saudi strikes on the Houthis after a missile attack on Riyadh airport killed 12 people, including a US national.

The Houthi strike, the deadliest attack in a Gulf Arab country since the US began its war with Iran, hit a passenger terminal at King Khalid International Airport on Saturday.

Riyadh’s civil aviation authority confirmed that an American was among those killed in the strike and that 309 others were injured. Four Saudis, two Bangladeshis and one person each from Palestine, Jordan, Sudan, Syria and Egypt were also killed in the attack. Operations at the airport have been suspended.

The Saudi-led military coalition blamed the Houthis for the attack, which they called a “war crime,” and vowed to respond. It was the deadliest attack in the kingdom since May 2015.

The Houthis said the group had “shut down” the airport in a post on X, and threatened to carry out more strikes on Saudi Arabia. » | Emily Smith | Foreign Breaking News Reporter | Published: Saturday, October 10, 2026. Updated: Sunday, 11 October 2026

World War III is progressing nicely! Just as one would expect. — © Mark Alexander