Britain's new budget is putting more pressure on workers, despite earlier promises that taxes wouldn't rise. The prime minister says raising taxes is necessary to grow the economy. But critics warn it could hurt the middle class.

London

UK government leaders, including Prime Minister Keir Starmer, have defended the finance minister's latest budget, which introduces increased taxes and has drawn criticism for placing a greater financial burden on middle earners. The budget, described as high-tax and high-welfare, is expected to raise the UK's tax burden to 38% of national income, the highest level on record.

Many citizens, including small business owners, report feeling the strain of rising taxes and living costs, with some expressing concern over reduced disposable income and customer spending. Critics argue that the government is seeking revenue from the wrong sources and warn that the political cost of these measures could be significant if the public does not perceive clear benefits from the increased taxation.

UK Starmer defends tax rises as living costs continue to climb

The top of the UK government out on a charm offensive, defending the finance minister's budget announced the day before. I'm optimistic about this country. I think by putting in the proper foundations, taking the fair and necessary decisions, we can defy all of the forecasts. Forecasts that say living standards will stagnate after a budget which has hit middle earners hard with the bulk of the extra tax revenue coming from them. People like Claire, who has owned this shop in North London for a decade, and is already feeling the strain from a new employer's tax introduced by the government this spring. The bills I have to pay every three months are just huge. The prospect of paying even more tax, how does that make you feel? Very worried. Customers are spending less and less money because they have more pressure at home as well, you know, with energy prices, mortgage prices increasing. So, you know, we're all spending less because we have less income. This was a high-tax, high-welfare budget, typical perhaps of a Labour government, but not what the voters were told to expect. A year ago, Rachel Reeves said she would not be taxing working people more, but with her budget that is exactly what happened. 700,000 people who previously earned too little will now be paying tax and a million more will be dragged into a higher tax bracket, bringing the UK's tax burden, meaning the share of the country's income paid out in tax, to about 38%, the highest since records began. Critics argue the finance minister is looking for revenue in the wrong place. So the middle classes are happy to pay their taxes in countries where they feel they're getting more out of it. So in regards to universal childcare, for instance, in Sweden, or the ways in which they might find that they are benefiting from good transport infrastructure. Now the problem we're facing in this country is that more and more the middle class may feel like they're paying more taxes and not really seeing the benefits of that. With a squeezed middle feeling they have little left to give, the government may soon find that the real cost of this budget is political. Milena Veselinovic, Al Jazeera, London.

Hong Kong firefighters found dozens more bodies Friday during an intensive apartment-by-apartment search of a high-rise tower complex, after a massive fire engulfed seven of its eight buildings. The death toll in one of the city's deadliest blazes is now at least 128.

Tai Po District

Death toll climbs as firefighters contain Hong Kong apartment blaze

U.S. President Donald Trump says Sarah Beckstrom, one of the National Guard members shot in Washington, has died and the other, Andrew Wolfe, is fighting for his life. The suspect in the shooting, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, is in 'serious condition.'

Washington

Trump says one National Guardsman has died after Washington shooting

Video has emerged of two Palestinian men surrendering to the Israeli military with their hands up, before being shot dead in Jenin.

Tel Aviv-Yafo

Two unarmed Palestinians killed in Jenin by Israeli military

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National Guard members shot in Washington, DC, attack identified

The Russian president reiterated his maximalist demands over occupied areas of Ukraine, and insisted Moscow has no plans of slowing down its full-scale invasion or even negotiating with Kyiv.

Kyiv

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The suspect in the shooting of two National Guard members led a team in the Afghanistan war and worked with U.S. and British forces, according to a former Afghan commando colleague. A DHS official says he was granted asylum earlier this year on humanitarian grounds.

West Virginia

Suspect in National Guard shooting granted asylum earlier this year

Firefighting and rescue missions continued into Thursday for a second day after a massive fire broke out in Hong Kong, gripping a complex of seven high-rise residential buildings. At least 55 people were killed and dozens more were injured in what is the worst fire to hit the territory in decades.

Death toll rises to 55 as blaze rips through Hong Kong tower complex

A Peruvian court on Wednesday (November 26) sentenced former President Martin Vizcarra to 14 years in prison after finding him guilty of taking bribes years before he took office, adding to a list of former leaders jailed for corruption.

Lima

Peru sentences ex-President Vizcarra to prison for corruption

Two National Guard members were shot dead near the White House in Washington D.C. A suspect was taken to hospital with injuries related to a gunshot.

Two National Guardsmen in critical condition after Washington shooting

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Suspect in custody after National Guardsmen shot in Washington, D.C.

Brazil's Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered far-right former president Jair Bolsonaro to begin serving a 27-year sentence for plotting a failed coup, after he exhausted all appeals.

Rio de Janeiro

Brazil's Bolsonaro begins 27-year jail term for coup bid

Brazil's Supreme Court on Tuesday (November 25) ordered former President Jair Bolsonaro to begin a prison sentence of more than 27 years for plotting a coup in 2022, according to a court document.

Brasília

Brazil's Bolsonaro to start 27-year prison sentence for coup plot

President Trump says only a few "points of disagreement" remain on a possible deal to end the war between Russia and Ukraine. The president says he will meet with the leaders of both countries only when the deal is in its final stages.

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The FBI has launched an inquiry into six Democratic lawmakers after President Trump accused them of “seditious behavior” for appearing in a video encouraging U.S. service members to refuse unlawful orders.

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President Donald Trump's administration has ramped up pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro by designating the Cartel de los Soles as a foreign terrorist organization. But the entity that the U.S. government alleges is led by Maduro is not a cartel per se.

Caracas

U.S. labels Maduro-tied Cartel de los Soles as terror organization

The head of Sudan's Rapid Support Forces (RSF), General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, said late on Monday (November 24) that his paramilitaries would immediately enter into a three-month humanitarian truce in its conflict with the country's armed forces.

Khartoum

Sudan's RSF paramilitary says it will enter into ceasefire

A U.S. official tells CBS News that Ukraine has agreed to a peace proposal brokered by the Trump administration, but some details still need to be sorted out. CBS News' Holly Williams reports.

Ukraine Invasion

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The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, the U.S.- and Israeli-backed organization to distribute aid in Gaza, said on Monday (November 24) it was ending its operations after months of criticism over the deaths of hundreds of Palestinians trying to reach GHF hubs.

Divisive U.S.- and Israeli-backed Gaza aid group ends operations

Darfur

Sudan's RSF paramilitary says it will enter into a ceasefire

Chauncey Billups, who was serving as head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers until his suspension, pleaded not guilty on Monday to charges related to alleged rigged high-stakes poker games.

Chauncey Billups pleads not guilty to charges

The Kremlin on Monday (November 24) said that a European counter-proposal to a U.S. 28-point peace plan for Ukraine was not constructive and that it simply did not work for Moscow.

Moscow

Kremlin rejects revised European peace plan to end war in Ukraine

A federal judge has dismissed the criminal cases against former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James on the grounds that Lindsey Halligan, the interim U.S. attorney who secured their indictments, was unlawfully appointed to the role.

Cases against James Comey, Letitia James dismissed

At least 90 people have died in a week of torrential rain, flooding and landslides in south-central Vietnam, authorities said. Popular tourist areas have been heavily hit, with parts of Nha Trang submerged and deadly landslides cutting off roads near Da Lat.

Nha Trang

Vietnam flooding kills at least 90

The Trump Administration is ramping up pressure on Venezuela as the Air Force conducted a simulated nighttime attack along the country's coast. Charlie D'Agata has the latest.

Trump ramps up pressure on Venezuela with nighttime Air Force attack

Israel killed Ali Tabtabai, the acting chief of staff of militant group Hezbollah, in an airstrike on a southern suburb of Beirut on Sunday, the Israeli military said.

Beirut

Middle East Conflict

Israel kills Hezbollah military leader in Beirut strike

While Russia and Ukraine continue to exchange daily drone fire, an updated peace framework is being worked out in Geneva between Ukraine, the US and European partners.

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Álvaro García Ortiz's decision came less than a week after he received a two-year suspension and a fine for disclosing private information about the partner of an opposition politician.

Madrid

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U.S. President Donald Trump's Department of Government Efficiency has been disbanded with eight months remaining in its mandate, and Office of Personnel Management Director Scott Kupor has told Reuters that the cost-cutting body now "doesn't exist".

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Al-Burhan rejected a new truce proposal from US envoy as the “worst yet”, accusing the Quad mediators of bias due to the UAE’s involvement.

Al Fashir

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Three suicide bombers and three security personnel killed in attack on the Federal Constabulary headquarters in Peshawar, media reports say.

Breakdown