- Frustrated Barca fail to capitalise on Atletico La Liga slip
- More Kenyan police land in Haiti to bolster security mission
- McGlynn leads youthful USA to friendly win over Venezuela
- Barcelona stumble to frustrating Getafe draw in title setback
- Lukaku fires Napoli six points clear at Atalanta, Juve sink Milan
- Milder winds help LA firefighters as Trump vows to visit
- Arsenal must take blame for Villa fightback: Arteta
- Russian attacks kill six across Ukraine, Kyiv says
- Northampton, Leinster claim Champions Cup pool top spots
- Arsenal's title bid rocked by Villa fightback
- Superb Wirtz keeps Leverkusen on pace with leaders Bayern
- Thousands attend funeral of Liberian ex-warlord Prince Johnson
- Barcola strikes as PSG fight back to beat Lens
- Juventus into Serie A Champions League spots with victory over AC Milan
- Kane calls on Bayern to extend with pal Dier
- Kenya sends 217 more police officers to Haiti mission
- Nunez late show a significant moment for Liverpool, says Slot
- Northampton claim Champions Cup pool top spot with Munster thriller
- Leganes snap Liga leaders Atletico's winning streak
- Nunez rides to Liverpool's rescue, Newcastle thrashed by Bournemouth
- Leaders Liverpool strike late as Nunez sinks Brentford
- Trump launches his own meme coin, value soars
- Goretzka double helps Bayern go seven clear
- Hillier holds narrow Dubai lead as McIlroy eyes final-round surge
- Kluivert hat-trick helps Bournemouth snap Newcastle streak
- Odermatt continues Swiss roll with downhill win in Wengen
- French skier Giezendanner helicoptered off mountain after Wengen crash
- Over 55,000 displaced Sudanese return to southeastern state: IOM
- Noman and Sajid help Pakistan dominate West Indies in spin battle
- 'Great day' for happy couple Svitolina, Monfils at Australian Open
- Collins dumped out of Australian Open to boos
- Mbappe improving every game: Real Madrid coach Ancelotti
- Rome shoppers take pot luck in 'blind sale' of unclaimed packages
- Goggia charges to Cortina downhill triumph as Vonn flops
- Solskjaer returns to coaching with Turkish side Besiktas
- Telegram boss admits 'seriousness' of French allegations: source
- Sinner surges into Melbourne last 16 as Swiatek destroys Raducanu
- Noman and Sajid give Pakistan lead in spin-dominated first Test
- Sinner romps past Giron into Australian Open last 16
- Svitolina stuns Paolini for family fairytale at Australian Open
- Indian court finds man guilty in notorious hospital rape case
- Medvedev fined $76,000 for Australian Open antics
- S. Korea's president in court as investigators seek to extend detention
- Gaza ceasefire to begin Sunday morning, after Israeli approval
- Trump administration plans mass immigrant arrests next week: incoming official
- Russian attack kills four in Kyiv
- Teen qualifier Tien surges into Australian Open last 16
- Sinclair, Warrican spin Pakistan to 230 all out in first Test
- South Korea's president in court as investigators seek to extend detention
- Veteran Monfils stuns fourth seed Fritz at Australian Open
UK finance minister, hit by market woes, stands firm on growth
Britain's finance minister Rachel Reeves on Tuesday insisted the Labour government needed to "go further and faster" in its bid to kickstart economic growth in the face of UK markets turmoil.
The chancellor of the exchequer, in the role for just over six months following Labour's election win, faced a renewed call to resign by the main opposition Conservative party during a heated exchange in parliament.
The British pound slumped and government borrowing costs soared over the past week as markets reacted to a struggling UK economy -- even if a recent runup in bond rates and renewed inflation concerns are not limited to Britain.
"We have seen global economic uncertainty play out in the last week," Reeves told parliament Tuesday.
"But leadership is not about ducking these challenges, it is about rising to them. The economic headwinds that we face are a reminder that we should -- indeed, we must -- go further and faster in our plan to kickstart economic growth."
The pound fell once more towards a 14-month low against the dollar following her statement, while UK gilts, or bonds, steadied.
Reeves told MPs she is "absolutely committed to meeting the fiscal rules" set out in her maiden budget in October.
By this she referred to her target of meeting day-to-day spending with revenue rather than borrowing.
UK 10-year bond yields, a key indicator of market confidence, reached last week the highest level since the 2008 global financial crisis.
That puts fiscal pressure on the government and could force it to cut spending and further hike taxes.
Reeves' budget included tax rises for businesses -- a decision blamed for Britain struggling to grow its economy in recent months.
"Rachel Reeves is doing a fantastic job. She has my full confidence," Prime Minister Keir Starmer told parliament Monday as he faced a barrage of questions over her future as finance minister.
At the centre of Labour's growth plans is big investment for infrastructure projects, including improvements for the National Health Service, education, transport and house-building.
- China -
Reeves on Tuesday defended her decision to visit China during the market turbulence as a necessary move "to secure tangible benefits for British businesses trading overseas".
At the same time, Reeves said she made it clear to Chinese leaders that while the UK "must co-operate on areas of mutual interest" it will "confidently challenge on areas where we disagree".
The chancellor reported back that she had expressed Britain's "real economic and trade concerns" over imbalances and economic security with China.
Reeves earlier said "common ground" had been found on financial services, trade, investment, climate change and other areas with China.
She said the total value of what had been agreed would be worth £600 million ($730 million) for the British economy over the next five years.
Responding to Reeves' statement, the Conservatives' spokesperson on the economy, Mel Stride, compared the current position of the chancellor to a Shakespearean tragedy.
"To go or not to go. That is now a question," he told parliament.
Labour has seen its public approval rating slump since its landslide election win in July that ended 14 years of Conservative rule on the promise of economic growth.
Starmer is facing calls also to sack his anti-corruption minister Tulip Siddiq after she was named in an investigation in Bangladesh focused on her aunt, the country's ousted leader Sheikh Hasina.
Piling on the pressure, billionaire Elon Musk -- who is set for a role in President-elect Donald Trump's administration -- has used his X platform to launch a barrage of posts assailing Starmer and other Labour party figures.
"Nobody trusts Starmer and for good reason. Investors won't invest without trust. He has created a financial crisis for Britain," Musk wrote last week on the social media platform.
G.Machado--PC