The UK economy experienced sluggish growth at the end of 2025, prompting Chancellor Rachel Reeves to acknowledge that "more to do" was needed, according to BBC Business. Meanwhile, in international news, Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley secured a third election victory, sweeping all seats in the House of Assembly, as reported by The Guardian. In the US, the House of Representatives voted to block tariffs imposed on Canada by former President Donald Trump, a move that Al Jazeera noted as a rare bipartisan rebuke. Elsewhere, in Bangladesh, citizens celebrated a landmark election, with many voting for the first time in 17 years, as highlighted by Al Jazeera.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) indicated that the UK economy grew by a mere 0.1% in the final three months of 2025, slightly below economists' expectations, according to BBC Business. While Reeves pointed out that the full-year growth of 1.3% for 2025 surpassed analysts' forecasts, the Conservatives criticized Labour, claiming they had "weakened our economy." Labour has prioritized economic growth since coming into power.
In Barbados, Mia Mottley's Barbados Labour Party (BLP) secured all 30 seats in the lower house of parliament, unseating the opposition leader, Ralph Thorne, as reported by The Guardian. This victory marks Mottley's third consecutive election win.
The US House's decision to rescind the tariffs on Canada, imposed under a national emergency declaration by Trump, saw a vote of 219 to 211, with six Republicans joining Democrats in the disapproval, according to The Guardian. This action was seen as a significant challenge to the former president's trade policies.
In Bangladesh, the recent election was met with jubilation. Hasan Hoque, a former teacher, told Al Jazeera, "It feels like a festival," reflecting the excitement of many citizens who participated in the voting process.
In other news, billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe, the Ineos boss and Manchester United co-owner, apologized for his "choice of language" after comments suggesting the UK had been "colonised by immigrants," according to BBC Business. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer labeled Ratcliffe's comments as "wrong and offensive."
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