Elizabeth Davies
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Nicki Minaj shares Air Force One video as Trump hints at new press secretary
Nicki Minaj shared a video from aboard Air Force One, the US president's official aircraft, as Donald Trump departed for Port Huron, Michigan, on the midterm campaign trail. (October 25) The rapper publicly began supporting Trump in 2025 and was then welcomed to the White House in July 2026. White House director of communications Steven Chueng also shared a video of the singer on board the aircraft, as he teased she could be the president’s next press secretary. Sharing the video on X, he said: “I think we may have found the new White House Press Secretary!” The post comes after the White House announced Katie Zacharia was leaving the role last week, just days after taking up the post.
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Israel votes in first election since 7 October attacks and Gaza war
Israelis will head to the polls on Tuesday (27 October) in the first election since the 7 October attacks and subsequent wars in Gaza, Iran and Lebanon. Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces a big challenge from former army chief Gadi Eisenkot, with neither expected to secure a parliamentary majority. But would a change in leadership bring peace in the region? Both candidates oppose an independent Palestinian state, and support continued Israeli security control over Palestinian territories. The Independent’s chief international correspondent Bel Trew reports.
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White House ballroom construction progress seen in aerial footage
Donald Trump’s administration has released aerial footage showing the construction progress on the White House ballroom. Deputy Chief of Staff Dan Scavino shared the video on X, which he said was filmed from Marine One during a flyover on the president’s journey to Joint Base Andrews. The original East Wing of the White House was demolished in October 2025 to make way for the 90,000-square-foot facility, proceeding without congressional authorization. Trump has defended the project, arguing it will offer a secure location for state visits, official ceremonies and inaugurations. In February 2025, the ballroom’s cost was estimated at $100m. The figure later rose to $250m and has since grown to $600m.
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Streeting tackled over ‘be-ready’ plan in Question Time ‘scaremongering’ debate
Wes Streeting defended the government’s campaign urging the public to prepare themselves for emergencies. The defence secretary told BBC Question Time that he wants people to be “alert but not alarmed”, adding there was a not a “specific thing” in mind when it comes to potential emergency incidents, but said the advice might help during power cuts or if a local shop is subject to a cyberattack. Put to him by an audience member that it could be “scaremongering” and push people towards panic buying like during the Covid-19 pandemic, he said: “We did have this debate though, just to reassure … because we want people to be alert but not alarmed, and the truth is we looked around the rest of Europe, ‘what are our friends doing across the continent?’ “They are way ahead of us on some of this stuff. So actually, my reaction as Defence Secretary wasn’t, ‘Is this the right thing to do?’ It’s ‘why haven’t we done this before, and why are we playing catch up compared to lots of other European countries’?”
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Streeting cites Churchill after Trump envoy calls Putin ‘humanitarian’
Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said there is a “clear line between appeasement and a peace process” after Donald Trump’s chief negotiator on the Ukraine war described Vladimir Putin as a “humanitarian”. Speaking on BBC Newsnight on Thursday (22 October), the defence secretary said: “I understand when people are undertaking, you know, the path of diplomacy, that sometimes you might feel the need to be gracious to the host sitting in front of you. “But I’ve got to say there is a very clear line between appeasement and a peace process, we should be in no doubt that Vladimir Putin is a cold-blooded killer.” Asked if he was saying this is appeasement by the US, he said: “I’m saying don’t feed the crocodile”. The phrase refers back to a comment Winston Churchill made on neutral nations during the early stages of the Second World War, most commonly cited as “an appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last”.
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Trump says Google refused request to rename Atlantic ‘American Ocean’
Donald Trump has claimed that Google has turned down his request to rename the Atlantic Ocean the “American Ocean.” The US president told supporters at a rally in South Carolina on Wednesday (21 October) that the company’s CEO, Sundar Pichai, had refused his suggestion. Trump says he called Pichai, who told him, "Oceans are different, sir. You know, they cover, they cover a lot of, they cover really a lot of countries." "So I'll probably pass... I think let's keep it the Atlantic Ocean, right? Pacific Ocean, we're gonna call it the American Ocean,” Trump added.
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Fury of French youth explodes across borders: Bel Trew unpacks the chaos
Battles near the Louvre, graffiti over Place de la République, protests along the Champs-Élysées, and shopkeepers trying to fight off looters and plumes of tear gas. Long-standing fury from youth in France has exploded into these fiery scenes. Rage has spread across borders, with protests erupting in Italy, Spain, Portugal and Albania. Why is this happening, and what does it mean? The Independent's Chief International Correspondent unpacks the chaos as more protests are planned.
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Trump’s special envoy tells Vladimir Putin he is a ‘humanitarian’
Steve Witkoff, the United States’ special envoy, lauded Russian autocrat Vladimir Putin as a “humanitarian” for releasing a “wrongfully detained” American as Moscow continued bombing civilians in Ukraine. “You talk so much about my president, President Trump, being a humanitarian. You are a humanitarian also, sir, and I salute that, I commend you, and I thank you again,” said Witkoff in a clip posted by Russian state media as he met with Putin in St Petersburg. Witkoff is continuing attempts to bring Russia and Ukraine to the negotiating table, after meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday (October 20). On Wednesday, Russia released 74-year-old teacher Stephen James Hubbard, who had been held for four years over claims he was a Ukrainian mercenary. Russia has continued its bombing of Ukraine, killing 328 civilians in September alone.
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In The Room
France is reeling after a weekend of unrest that escalated dramatically. Hundreds of thousands marched peacefully, but elsewhere shops were looted, cars burned, police attacked and public buildings set alight. What began with schoolchildren furious about missing teachers, crumbling classrooms and a system they believe is failing them quickly became something much bigger. People of all ages joined demonstrations driven by anger over the cost of living, deteriorating public services and a future that feels increasingly out of reach. With France approaching a presidential election, the unrest exposes a deeper political crisis. But this is not just a French story. Across Europe, established parties are struggling to retain the confidence of increasingly disillusioned electorates. And Britain has experienced its own moments when public anger has spilled into violence. Helen MacNamara, who was inside government during the 2011 riots and has attended countless COBR meetings, examines what happens when governments begin to lose control of the streets, and what France's crisis might tell us about the pressures building closer to home. New episodes of In The Room come out weekly. Listen to the latest on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, or watch on YouTube.
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Tommy Robinson voicemail left on Daily Mail journalist’s phone played in court
Audio of a voicemail Tommy Robinson left on a Daily Mail journalist’s phone has been played to jurors at Southwark Crown Court. The 43-year-old, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, is on trial for allegedly harassing journalists Jacob Dirnhuber and Andrew Young, causing them fear of violence, in August 2024 after they worked on a story about him while he was on holiday in Cyprus. The voicemail, released by the Metropolitan Police and played in court on Tuesday (20 October), was left on Ted Verity’s phone. It said: “If it’s legitimate journalism then expect me to come knocking,” adding: “I’ve already located every f****** one of you.” Mr Yaxley-Lennon entered not guilty pleas to two charges of harassment causing fear of violence in July last year.
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Man ordered to pay more than £2,000 for act after getting parking ticket
A man was ordered to pay £2,270 in fines and costs after he threw a parking fine notice on the ground in Cornwall. Stephen Lang, of St Martins Crescent, Camborne, was found guilty of littering at Exchequer Quay car park in Penryn on 20 November 2025. The court heard that the 58-year-old was issued with a penalty charge notice after his vehicle was found parked outside a marked bay. Lang approached the officer and challenged the notice before removing it from the vehicle and throwing it to the ground. The officer picked up the notice and placed it back on the vehicle before Lang removed it again and threw it in her direction. Lang was issued with a £250 Fixed Penalty Notice for littering, which he failed to pay despite a reminder. He was ordered to pay a £250 fine, £1920.90 in costs and a £100 victim surcharge.
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Albanian police deploy water cannons as protests hit seventh day
Albanian police deployed water cannons as protests continued into their seventh day on Monday (19 October). Officers responded with tear gas after demonstrators hurled rocks at them. Protesters also attacked government buildings and lit fires. Violence has erupted after high school and university students mobilised in a broader anti-government movement calling for prime minister Edi Rama to resign. It comes as thousands of rioters in France were arrested during the weekend’s widespread protests, with justice minister. Violence has also been seen in other parts of Europe, with similar incidents in Belgium and Italy.
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Democrat zings Hegseth when asked if she’ll quit drinking if elected
The Democratic candidate who went viral for her “drunk” and belligerent local TV interview took a shot at Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth after being asked if she’d quit drinking if she were elected. Jaime West, who is running for a seat on the Fayette County Council in Indiana, appeared on Piers Morgan Uncensored, where she claimed she drank only three beers before her now-infamous appearance, during which she warned Republicans, “we have guns too.” When Morgan asked if West would quit drinking if her long-shot bid for the council seat was successful, she replied, “I don't know. Why don't you ask Pete Hegseth, who is drinking whiskey as he's running an illegal war?” Morgan and guest Ben Ferguson pointed out that Hegseth had vowed not to drink during his time in Trump’s cabinet.
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Video report: Could we see France’s chaotic protests spread to the UK?
France has seen its worst unrest in decades, with thousands arrested and buildings set alight. What began in September as a student protest over school conditions has grown into a nationwide backlash over living costs, drawing at least 800,000 onto the streets. Emmanuel Macron says “we feel anger and shame”, while unrest has spread to Belgium and Italy. So could Britain be next? The Independent political editor David Maddox says the Met Police’s experience of mass protests makes similar scenes unlikely, though violence cannot be ruled out.
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Sleeping Tesla driver using self-driving mode crashes into police car
A Tesla driver claimed he was asleep at the wheel when his vehicle, in Full Self-Driving mode, plowed into a California Highway Patrol (CHP) vehicle, injuring two officers. The CHP car’s dashcam recorded the incident on October 13 on Interstate 80 in the Bay Area, where officers had sealed off a lane while they investigated a crash. The Tesla, driven by a 22-year-old from Sacramento, entered the closed area, marked by flares, cones and emergency vehicle flashing lights. It then hit the occupied CHP vehicle. CHP warned drivers that “despite its name, Full Self-Driving is not fully autonomous” and must be monitored at all times. Authorities have not yet announced what charges the driver could face.
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Democrat Senate hopeful Abdul El-Sayed claps back at JD Vance’s latest insult
Democrat candidate Abdul El-Sayed has responded to at Vice President JD Vance’s latest insult amid the heated Senate race in Michigan. Vance called El-Sayed “a little weasel” who should “show a little gratitude to that country that gave him everything” during a stop in Monroe on Thursday (October 15) in support of Republican Mike Rogers. Later that day, at a stop in Marquette, El-Sayed, a Michigan alum, responded to Vance, a graduate of their hated football rivals, Ohio State. “JD Vance called me a little weasel today. I'm, like, ‘No, no, no. What you're talking about is a f***ing wolverine,’ said El-Sayed, referencing his alma mater’s mascot. “You can take your Buckeye and go shove it somewhere else...Ohio. Here we might be [Northern Michigan University] Wildcats, we might be [Michigan State] Spartans, we might be [Michigan] Wolverines, but we will never be [Ohio State] Buckeyes.”
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Watch sea drones strike Russian Olympic city’s port
A sea drone was used to strike a Russian Olympic city’s port as part of Ukraine's Black Sea blockade. Footage posted online showed speedboats rushing towards Russian forces in September before a huge fireball erupted in Sochi. On 3 September, the Ukrainian Navy announced on social media that it had struck the Russian multi-purpose supply vessel NEFRIT in Sochi Port using an unmanned sea boat of the Naval Forces. The Navy said NEFRIT is “an element of the Russian maritime and energy infrastructure, which provided oil and gas operations, serviced offshore facilities, transported cargo and personnel, and performed underwater technical work.”
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Mamdani tells Liverpool fan Man City ‘shouldn’t be in league’ after loss
Zohran Mamdani told a Liverpool fan that Manchester City “shouldn’t even be in the league” after the Reds lost 3-0 over the weekend. The mayor of New York City, an avid Arsenal fan, aimed a dig at a Liverpool-supporting reporter during a press conference on Wednesday (14 October). Greeting the journalist, he said: “How’s it going, how are you as a Liverpool fan right now? “You got beat by a team that shouldn’t even be in the league, but anyway.” It comes after City defended their post-match celebrations following their victory at Anfield, which was their first match since an independent commission found them guilty of 114 breaches of Premier League financial rules, involving more than £900m in disguised funding.
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Why are Yemen’s Houthis attacking Saudi Arabia?
At least 13 people were killed and hundreds injured in a strike on Riyadh’s international airport. The attack last Saturday (10 October) was the third facility hit in a week by Houthi forces. Footage of the strike was released by Saudi Arabia and has been shared widely across social media. But why are Yemen’s Houthis attacking Saudi Arabia and what does this mean for UK? The Independent’s chief international correspondent Bel Trew takes a closer look. Watch Bel’s full analysis in the video above.
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Democrat candidate for Indiana county council goes on wild rant on local TV
A Democrat city council candidate has gone viral after a wild interview with a local TV station in Indiana. Jaime West, who is standing for Fayette County Council, spoke to Connersville News Examiner managing editor Amy Graham-McCarthy on October 9 for LocalTV3. Things took a bizarre turn when West was asked what potentially unpopular move she would implement. This prompted a tirade which included claims that the sheriff’s nephew had threatened to “blow my head off.” When asked to give her closing words, West replied “We have guns too!”
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In The Room
In recent weeks, the Prime Minister has made a series of pointed interventions on Britain’s relationship with the EU. At Labour conference, he said Brexit had done “more harm than good”. In a BBC interview, he suggested it was “possible” that a future Labour manifesto could promise another in-out referendum. And in a podcast this week, he claimed Russia had interfered in the Brexit vote. Burnham clearly has strong feelings about Europe. Today, we ask: why is he bringing the Brexit debate back now? Also, with Chancellor John Healey’s first Budget just two weeks away, we examine the big calls facing the government this winter — from fuel costs to the threat of freezing weather. New episodes of In The Room come out weekly. Listen to the latest on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, or watch on YouTube.
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In The Room
Conference season is in full swing – and this week, it unfolded across two very different political stages. In Birmingham, the Conservatives came to town. As Kemi Badenoch continues to win strong approval ratings - despite the Conservatives struggling to recover from their 2024 defeat - her conference speech doubled down on a classic Tory pitch: a smaller state, lower taxes, and a return to economic aspiration. Cleo, a veteran of Tory conferences, breaks down the mood in Birmingham and weighs up whether Badenoch’s promises add up. Meanwhile, in Brighton, the Greens held their largest conference to date - but it was dominated by controversy. Members passed a motion declaring Zionism a form of racism, sparking fierce backlash from Jewish community leaders and MPs within the party. Green Party leader Zack Polanski was largely absent, busy campaigning in the Holborn and St Pancras by-election. We ask: can the Greens turn controversy into momentum - or has this motion cost them credibility? New episodes of In The Room come out weekly. Listen to the latest on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, or watch on YouTube.
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How life-changing war injuries have transformed people in Gaza
Since October 2023, Israel’s bombardment of Gaza has killed more than 74,000 people, according to the Palestinian health ministry. The retaliatory strikes followed Hamas’ bloody October 7 attack, which killed 1,200 people and saw 251 taken hostage. For people in Palestine, the October 7 anniversary brings another day living with the results of Israel’s retaliatory strikes. Many people in Gaza are adjusting to their life-changing injuries. Homes, hospitals, universities, and places of worship are now damaged or reduced to rubble. Najwa Abu Eita, 42, showed the Associated Press a photo of herself before she was injured in a bombing in 2024. Her daughter was killed in the strike. She says she is unable to work or afford medical treatment, and her children avoid her because “they are afraid of me and my appearance.”
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Horrifying moment out-of-control hayride flips leaving a dozen injured
More than a dozen children were thrown from a wagon after a tractor flipped during a hayride in upstate New York. Chemung Conty Sheriff’s released surveillance video of the crash which happened at the German Baptist youth group gathering in Wellsburg on October 4. Initially, more than 20 youngsters were onboard but five leapt off when the brakes started smoking and the driver began struggling with mechanical issues, according to witnesses. The ride traveled along for more than a mile and a half before flipping at an intersection and tossing the remaining fifteen people across the road. Most suffered abrasions but the 16-year-old driver remains in a critical condition.
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Kemi Badenoch reveals final message Jeffrey Archer sent her on the day he died
Kemi Badenoch said Jeffrey Archer complimented her on her opening speech at the Conservative Party conference in his final message to her before his death at age 86. The former politician turned bestselling writer died suddenly on Monday (5 October), his publisher said. Speaking to BBC Breakfast on Tuesday, the Tory leader said: “At 8am yesterday, he sent me a message saying, ‘Great outfit, great speech, no need to reply. And I read it, and I smiled, and I was absolutely shocked in the evening when I heard that he'd passed away.”
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Happy update for more than 80 dogs found in ‘squalid’ faeces-covered home
More than 80 dogs rescued from a “squalid” home in South Yorkshire have found new homes after being discovered living in appalling conditions. The 84 dogs, mostly Springer Spaniels, were rescued from a property in Tickhill, near Doncaster, in April 2025. RSPCA officers discovered many rooms in the house were covered from floor to ceiling in faeces and dirt several inches thick. All but one of the rescued dogs have now been rehomed. Social worker David Parkes, 61, had denied owning or having responsibility for the animals, but was found guilty of three animal welfare offences. His wife Delphine Parkes, 60, and son Sam Parkes, 28, who lived in the same house, both pleaded guilty to three animal welfare offences. All three defendants will be sentenced on 9 December at Doncaster Magistrates' Court.
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Robert Jenrick confronts man for ‘stealing Dr Pepper from Greggs’ in Brixton
Robert Jenrick confronted an alleged shoplifter who he said had taken a bottle of Dr Pepper from a Greggs in Brixton, London. Reform UK’s treasury spokesman released a video of himself on Friday (2 October), showing him approaching a man and telling him: “ I think you just nicked that, didn't you? Well, we just watched you take it. Do you wanna give it back?” The man denies stealing the drink and responds: “Yeah, I’ll give it back.” When Mr Jenrick asked “Why do you think you’re above the law?”, the alleged thief replied: “Because they always give us drinks.” The politician later put the drink in a Greggs fridge. Jenrick previously released a video of himself confronting alleged fare dodgers on the London Underground, as he claimed lawbreakers are “chipping away at society”.
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We like Andy Burnham – but will he be able to keep his promises?
In The Room hits Liverpool for Labour Party Conference. Cleo heads into the hall, fringe events, protests and the media pen, talking to delegates, campaigners and lobbyists to get a feel for Andy Burnham’s Labour. Helen takes a different route, moving between Shelter, the Future Governance Forum and the receptions where senior figures are talking about what comes next. The mood is unusually upbeat, united and hopeful. But beneath the optimism, how much anxiety is there about turning the Burnham bounce into something that lasts? New episodes of In The Room come out weekly. Listen to the latest on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, or watch on YouTube.
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Donald Trump calls Google CEO Sundar Pichai ‘monster’ at ‘Super Intelligence’ summit
Donald Trump called Google CEO Sundar Pichai a “monster” during a White House “Super Intelligence” summit on Tuesday (29 September). The US president appeared to use the term as a compliment and said: "This guy is a monster, and nobody knows. What a great life, to be a monster and not have to go through this," while introducing Mr Pichai to reporters and technology leaders gathered for the event. Pichai responded briefly before Trump continued with the exchange. The remarks came as Trump hosted leading technology executives to discuss the future of AI and announced the US government would officially refer to artificial intelligence as “Super Intelligence”, or SI.
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Watch: Driver ‘too drunk to stand’ arrested after killing motorway worker
A man who was “too drunk to stand up” has been jailed for 10 years after he drove into a coned-off area of motorway roadworks and crashed into a highways worker who had only stepped out of his vehicle seconds earlier. Vilius Domarkas, 38, had just flown into Stansted Airport from his native country Lithuania where he had been in rehab for his drinking problem when the fatal crash on the M23 occurred in the early hours of 8 July. Bodycam footage shows Domarkas slurring his words and taking a breathalyser after the fatality. Lewes Crown Court heard that the builder, who had just split from his wife, had been seen driving “erratically” and drifting between lanes moments before he hit and killed 65-year-old Anthony Howe from Kent. Domarkas, who pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving, was also disqualified from driving for 16 years and eight months and the judge ordered the forfeiture of his van.
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Rubio addresses concerns after five suspects in RAF Fairford plot released on bail
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he understood why people were “disturbed” after five suspects arrested over a suspected terror plot near RAF Fairford were released on bail on Monday (28 September). Rubio said some of those arrested were still being investigated and had been “very cooperative and very helpful” in what he described as a “very serious incident”. US President Donald Trump said he would not have released the suspects, adding the plot “might be” connected to Iran. The five British men were arrested on suspicion of explosives offences and preparing a terrorist act and remain under investigation.
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Dangerous driver clocks 115mph with nine-year-old child in car
A dangerous driver travelled at speeds of more than 115mph with a nine-year-old child in the passenger seat in Nottinghamshire. Johnpaul Allen, 32, of Park Hall Road, Mansfield Woodhouse, narrowly avoided an oncoming car when he swerved past an unmarked police vehicle on the A60 between Worksop and Cuckney. Officers had to drive at more than 115mph to keep up with him. Allen was jailed for six months and banned from holding a licence for 16 months after pleading guilty to dangerous driving at Nottingham Crown Court on Tuesday (15 September).
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Watch: Salman Rushdie denounces ‘horrifying’ behaviour of ‘thin-skinned’ Trump
Sir Salman Rushdie said he looked forward to the “demolition” of Donald Trump in a wide-ranging interview with The Independent's editor-in-chief, Geordie Greig. The Booker Prize-winning author criticised the US president’s decision to rip down the White House’s East Wing to replace it with a ballroom, and described Trump’s planned 250-foot triumphal arch as “ridiculous.” “We’ll see if he builds it,” the author told The Talk Show. “I look forward to the day when there is no more Trump and every ugly thing he's built gets torn down.”
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Rory Stewart reveals family’s reaction to viral Newsnight moment
Rory Stewart has revealed his family’s reaction to his viral moment on BBC Newsnight. The former Conservative minister spun in his chair and stared at a fellow panelist, New Statesman political editor Ailbhe Rea, during his appearance on 18 September. Presenter Matt Chorley later told The Guardian that he believed Stewart was genuinely “probably just intently listening to what Ailbhe had to say, and that behaviours that look normal in person can appear to be strange on screen. Stewart later said his family told him to disable all of his social media on his phone.
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Rory Stewart reveals family’s reaction to viral Newsnight moment
Rory Stewart has revealed his family’s reaction to his viral moment on BBC Newsnight. The former Conservative minister spun in his chair and stared at a fellow panelist, New Statesman political editor Ailbhe Rea, during his appearance on 18 September. Presenter Matt Chorley later told The Guardian that he believed Stewart was genuinely “probably just intently listening to what Ailbhe had to say, and that behaviours that look normal in person can appear to be strange on screen. Stewart later said his family told him to disable all of his social media on his phone.