Work and Pensions Sectreaty Liz Kendall announced a series of benefit cuts yesterday as the government looks to overhaul the UK’s welfare system in hopes of saving £5bn a year. There have been widespread reactions to the cuts from across the political spectrum, unions and charities. There are fears that the most vulnerable could be pushed into poverty, dissent amongst Labour MPs who have accused the government of echoing “Tory austerity” and reports more cuts are coming in the spring budget.

President Trump has directed the release of unredacted government files concerning JFK’s assassination, with over 31,000 pages now accessible online.

Germany’s Bundestag is poised to vote on a significant fiscal package that proposes amendments to longstanding debt policies, aiming to facilitate increased defence spending and establish a €500 billion infrastructure and climate fund.

The vote is seen as a response to Russia’s advances in Ukraine as the United States makes clear Europe can no longer rely on US protection from Russia.

Supporters of lifting the debt restrictions to boost defence spending say it’s essential for European security but there is also opposition. The decision could influence broader European defence initiatives, like the EU’s proposed €800 billion ReArm Europe fund.

Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch has said the UK’s 2050 net zero target, a legally binding commitment established by a previous Conservative government, is “impossible.” Badenoch argued that achieving net zero by 2050 would necessitate “a serious drop in our living standards or by bankrupting us,” but did not offer an alternative plan.

The UK government is set to announce significant welfare reforms today, aiming to reduce welfare spending by approximately £5 billion annually. These measures are part of an effort to address rising welfare costs, which are projected to surpass £100 billion by 2030.

Almost all the UK newspapers lead on the story, focusing on different angles from political turmoil within the party, to potentially pushing the poor into poverty.

The headlines dominating the UK news cover domestic and international politics, overnight terror in Gaza, protests over corruption and some lighter stories covering the upcoming Nations League matches and St Patrick’s Day celebrations.