PM insists threatening economic outlook is result of developments that don't have to do with Israel, but rivals say his government's policies are to blame
Today's guest is Ted Brown, the Libertarian Party candidate for U.S. Senate in Texas. Brown is facing off against Republican Ken Paxton and Democrat James Talarico in a closely contested race. Brown received more than 267,000 votes in his 2024 Senate campaign and is now challenging both major parties on their commitment to individual liberty. He argues that Republicans have abandoned limited government while Democrats increasingly embrace economic policies that undermine the free market.
Nick Gillespie talks with Brown about Paxton's corruption scandals, Talarico's hostility toward billionaires, and why Texas ranks poorly on personal freedom despite its business-friendly reputation. Brown makes the case for returning to an Ellis Island–style immigration system, cutting federal spending to confront the $40 trillion national debt, and ending America's military involvement in the Middle East. They also discuss abortion rights, government surveillance, online age-verification laws, and how regulations drive up the cost of healthcare. Brown explains what it will take to rebuild the Libertarian Party and why he believes a senator could accomplish more by stopping bad legislation than by passing new laws.
Andy Burnham's doomsday prepping campaign descended into farce today as he was forced to play down Angela Rayner's joke about stockpiling wine amid questions of why a Government skimping on defence is lecturing the public.
Companies that sell paper cups, plates, delivery containers, and similar packaging to restaurants say that they're seeing less demand from US businesses.
Essity, a Swedish company that sells paper towels and cleaning supplies to businesses, including restaurants, said on Thursday that the dining pullback in the US was affecting sales. The company's sales volumes and prices in the US fell during its third quarter, it said.
"Consumers are not going out to restaurants as much as they do in Europe," CEO Ulrika Kolsrud told Reuters on Thursday.
Finland-based Huhtamaki Oyj, which makes disposable cups and takeout containers for fast-food restaurants, said that second-quarter sales in North America decreased.
Analysts at Jefferies wrote that results in the region, which accounts for about one-third of Huhtamaki Oyj's sales, will likely be hurt by lower consumer spending at fast-food chains in the US.
Higher prices at some chains, and many consumers still working from home, "have impacted sales volumes, and ultimately packaging demand," the analysts wrote earlier this month.
With wages stagnant and the lingering effects of inflation, many diners are eating out less. Those who are still spending tend to look for good deals — a trend that has tested value menus at fast-food chains like McDonald's and benefited others, such as Chili's, which offered deals that got consumers ordering.
That doesn't necessarily mean Americans have stopped spending on restaurant food altogether. Many diners are still willing to pay for food delivery, a trend that has bolstered results at DoorDash and Uber.
Economic fallout from war in Middle East adds to pressures on consumers and on chancellor before budget
Consumer confidence in the UK has fallen at the fastest rate outside the Covid pandemic since the 2016 Brexit vote as the escalating economic damage from the war in the Middle East hits Britain.
With less than a week before John Healey’s first budget, the latest barometer from the data company GfK indicated confidence plunged by 11 percentage points in October to -24 amid pressure on consumers from the rising cost of living.
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth put weapons manufacturers on notice Thursday as the Trump administration pushes to cut Pentagon red tape, expand competition and accelerate American weapons production as part of its "Arsenal of Freedom" initiative.
In a video shared on X, Hegseth highlighted Washington's drive to overhaul defense procurement, expand private-sector competition and speed up production of advanced weapons systems.
"The Arsenal of Freedom has been UNLEASHED," Hegseth posted.
The video features missile launches, naval weapons systems firing, ammunition production lines and workers signing munitions for U.S. forces.
Hegseth also stressed that performance, not a contractor's name, should determine which companies supply America's military.
"I don’t care what company is on the side of the rocket. Don't care. The only thing we ask ourselves is, is it the best?" Hegseth said in the video.
"The technology that you build for our missiles, interceptors and hypersonic weapons is what allows the War Department to achieve peace through strength," Hegseth continued. "And that mission comes with a non-negotiable mandate straight from the Resolute Desk and President Trump: build more and build faster."
Hegseth framed the manufacturing push as central to strengthening American military readiness and deterring foreign adversaries.
"When we unleash industry—when we at long last unleash the raw, competitive, and patriotic spirit—the United States of America always wins," he said.
"When we compete, we win. When we innovate, we win. When we go fast, we win. We're equipping our warriors for the future right here and right now, made in the United States of America, and we're doing it at light speed."
The "Arsenal of Freedom" campaign echoes America's World War II-era "Arsenal of Democracy," when U.S. factories dramatically expanded weapons production to supply American and Allied forces.
The administration's defense industrial strategy is to streamline Pentagon procurement, reduce bureaucratic barriers and bring more private companies and technology startups into the military supply chain.
The effort emphasizes commercial technology, faster production and greater competition among defense contractors and manufacturers.
Hegseth launched the nationwide tour earlier this year with a stop at a shipyard in Newport News, Virginia, and has since visited defense manufacturing facilities across the country.
On Oct. 20, Hegseth toured Riverside Machine and Engineering in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, alongside Small Business Administration Administrator Kelly Loeffler and local lawmakers.
There, he touted what he called a "golden age of American manufacturing," highlighting domestic supply chains and defense industry jobs.
The manufacturing push comes as the Pentagon seeks to strengthen U.S. weapons stockpiles and sustain military readiness amid threats from adversaries, including the almost eight-month war with Iran.
Following visits to U.S. Central Command operations in the Middle East, Hegseth emphasized the importance of expanding production of precision missiles, air defense interceptors and other critical weapons systems.
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