Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced a new mandatory digital ID scheme, stating unequivocally that "You will not be able to work in the United Kingdom if you do not have digital ID." The plan, unveiled at the Global Progress Action Summit in London, supposedly aims to tackle illegal immigration and strengthen border control by requiring all individuals to possess a digital ID on their smartphone to prove their right to work or rent a home.

The government asserts the scheme will make it harder to work illegally, close loopholes exploited by trafficking gangs and unscrupulous employers, and offer citizens benefits like easier access to services such as driving licenses and welfare.

The digital ID will be a free, government-issued app on smartphones, containing a name, date of birth, nationality or residency status, and a photo  It will be mandatory for proving the right to work or rent, but individuals will not be required to carry or present it on demand outside of these specific checks. The government plans to introduce the scheme by the end of the current parliamentary term.

This marks a significant policy shift for the Labor government, which previously ruled out the idea, with former Home Secretary Yvette Cooper stating it was not in their manifesto. Starmer admitted Labor had previously "shied away" from addressing public concerns about illegal immigration, acknowledging it was "too easy for people to come here, slip into the shadow economy and remain here illegally."  The move is driven by record levels of small boat crossings and the government's desire to demonstrate control over borders.

The announcement has sparked significant debate. Critics, including civil liberty groups like Big Brother Watch and Liberty, argue the scheme amounts to "mass surveillance" and a "checkpoint society" that threatens privacy and civil liberties. They warn it could marginalize vulnerable groups like the elderly or homeless who may not have smartphones.

The opposition parties are also critical: Reform UK calls it a "cynical ploy," the Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch dismissed it as a "desperate gimmick" that won't stop small boat crossings, and the Liberal Democrats oppose forcing people to surrender private data. A petition against the digital ID has already surpassed one million signatures, triggering a parliamentary debate.

While the government insists the ID will only be required to prove the right to work and will not be mandatory to carry or produce in other circumstances, confusion persists. Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander emphasized it is not a physical "BritCard" but a digital tool. Critics remain skeptical, with some arguing that illegal workers will find ways to circumvent the system, and others questioning the effectiveness of the measure against the root causes of migration.

The government maintains the ID is a practical measure to simplify life for citizens by replacing the need to hunt for physical documents like utility bills or passports.

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy clarified that while all UK citizens will be required to have the digital ID, it will be their choice whether to use it for everyday purposes. The government is also consulting on how to support those without smartphones.

US President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday, directing federal agencies to dismantle left-wing groups he claims are inciting political violence, including the decentralized movement known as Antifa, which he had previously designated a domestic terrorist organization on September 22.

The order empowers agencies like the Justice Department, Treasury Department, FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, and the IRS to investigate and disrupt funding networks for these groups, with Attorney General Pam Bondi stating it targets "any organized group, anywhere who are committing these crimes." Trump specifically named billionaire Democrat donors George Soros and Reid Hoffman as individuals whose funding might be under scrutiny, though no evidence was provided to support these allegations.

Trump has signed an order officially designating Antifa as a "domestic terrorist organization," directing all federal agencies to investigate, disrupt, and dismantle its illegal operations and those of its supporters. Far-left group Antifa's operation is known as a far-left semi-decentralized Marxist group that incites, organizes and participates in sometimes deadly riots across most cities in America, Europe, Canada and Australia.

The new executive order focuses on identifying and disrupting the financial networks that fund these groups. It directs the Treasury Department and the IRS to investigate potential funding sources and even to withdraw tax-exempt status from organizations found to be funding political violence.

The Trump administration has cited the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk two weeks prior and a shooting at an ICE office in Dallas as catalysts for the crackdown, though authorities have not found evidence linking the suspects to a larger network

The order is part of a broader campaign by Trump to use federal agencies to target left-wing violent extremism. This includes a previous order to investigate.

Left-wing critics, including civil rights groups and Democrats, argue the actions are politically motivated, designed to stifle dissent and undermine the First Amendment, and are a response to the killing of a conservative figure rather than a genuine threat from the left.

The administration has pointed to recent left-wing violence and criminality like the bullets found at the scene of Kirk's assassination, which were engraved with fascist far-left messages, as evidence of the growing threat from the left.

A federal grand jury on Thursday,  in Northern Virginia indicted former FBI Director James Comey on two felony counts: one for making false statements to Congress and one for obstruction of justice. Each charge carries a potential penalty of up to 5–10 years in prison.

These charges arise from Comey's testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee in 2020, during which prosecutors allege he provided misleading information about his handling of the FBI's investigation into contacts between Russia and Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign.

The indictment was unsealed late Thursday, marking a significant escalation in the long-simmering feud between Comey and President Trump, who was re-elected in 2024. The trial date has not been set, but it could extend into 2026.

Comey served as FBI Director from 2013 until his abrupt firing by Trump in May 2017, amid the early stages of the Russia investigation. Trump has long accused Comey of orchestrating a "witch hunt" against him, blaming the former director for the appointment of Special Counsel Robert Mueller, whose probe dominated much of Trump's first term.

The charges stem from Comey's 2020 congressional testimony, where he reportedly downplayed the extent of his communications with Trump regarding the Russia probe and his role in leaking memos about those interactions.

The case gained momentum earlier this year when the Secret Service interrogated Comey over a social media post showing seashells arranged as "86 47"—a reference interpreted by Trump allies as a coded assassination threat against the president (the 47th). Comey deleted the post, calling it a "restaurant-themed joke" about removing Trump from office.

Responding in a video message, Comey declared: "I'm not afraid.. I'm innocent. Let's have a trial."

President Trump celebrated the indictment on social media, posting: "Today he was indicted by a Grand Jury on two felony counts for various illegal and unlawful acts. He has been so bad for our Country, for so many years... One of the worst human beings this Country has ever been exposed to." Supporters echoed this sentiment, with conservative commentator Jesse Kelly warning that the trial's location—potentially in Washington, D.C.—could lead to an acquittal due to liberal bias of the jury pool.