Monday briefing: The world is demanding reparations for enslavement – is Britain finally listening?

In today’s newsletter: King Charles’s tour of the Caribbean has exposed the limits of the UK’s response to its past crimes Good morning. Tomorrow, King Charles will formally open the Commonwealth heads of government meeting (Chogm) in St John’s, Antigua with a speech that addresses Britain’s role in the transatlantic slave trade with “unflinching honesty and sincere sorrow”. It marks the culmination of a pivotal tour of the Caribbean that some observers warned could accelerate moves to remove him as head of state in several countries unless he does more to directly confront the monarchy’s historic links to enslavement. UK news | Ministers are prepared to spend as much as £450m a year to give students from the EU discounted university fees, the Guardian has learned, but only if Brussels allows the UK access to its Made in Europe industrial programme. Europe | Clashes erupted in Paris, Marseille and other cities on Saturday after tens of thousands of demonstrators, some in Halloween fancy dress, marched across France in a third wave of protests over the cost of living and deteriorating public services. Cryptocurrency | Cryptocurrency exchange Binance says it has replaced 90% of the ⁠amount stolen after a record $6.3bn hack of its platform by a group the FBI identified as being backed by North Korea. Immigration | The Home Office is still putting asylum seekers on to planes to France weeks after the controversial scheme to remove them ended, the Guardian has learned. US politics | A US judge dismissed Donald Trump’s lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal with prejudice on Saturday, according to a court filing, bringing an end to his legal challenge over the newspaper’s reporting on his alleged birthday letter to Jeffrey Epstein. Tuesday | The midterm elections in the US, with predictions of a blue wave as voters deliver their verdict on Trump’s second presidential term. Wednesday | The UK supreme court will hear direct action group Palestine Action’s challenge to its proscription under anti-terrorism laws. Thursday | French trade unions are expected to call for a general strike across the country after the third consecutive weekend of mass protests over cost of living and deteriorating public services. Continue reading...