The US Senate confirmed President Donald Trump’s nominees for two positions on the federal labour law enforcement agency on Friday. The move provides Republicans with the necessary votes to overturn several key decisions that previously supported union organising. The Republican-led Senate approved a block of over 70 federal government nominees in a 51–47 vote. Among those confirmed were James Macy and David Prouty to serve on the National Labor Relations Board. James Macy, a Republican, held several roles at the US Department of Labour after spending four decades representing employers in labour disputes. David Prouty, a former union lawyer serving as the board’s sole Democrat, was confirmed for a second term. The five-member board already held a 2–1 Republican majority prior to the confirmation vote. By tradition, the panel maintains two Democrats, two Republicans, and a chair designated by the president. The NLRB investigates complaints from private-sector workers and unions whilst overseeing workplace elections. Formal complaints filed by the general counsel are heard by administrative judges before reaching the full board, whose rulings can be appealed in federal court. This internal process faces ongoing legal challenges from companies such as Amazon and SpaceX, which argue that the framework violates the US Constitution. Under long-standing tradition, the board requires three affirmative votes to overturn established precedent. Existing Republican appointees Scott Mayer and Chairman James Murphy had previously stated they would not break with that practice without a third vote. Trump’s appointees are expected to target policies favoured by trade unions that contributed to a recent surge in organising efforts. Murphy and Mayer have already revived a rule making it harder to hold companies accountable as joint employers of contract workers, whilst relinquishing jurisdiction over a SpaceX case to another federal agency. The board previously lost its quorum and was unable to process cases last year after Trump took the unprecedented step of removing Democratic member Gwynne Wilcox. Her dismissal left hundreds of cases unresolved for nearly a year. Wilcox sued and brief reinstatement was granted before a federal appeals court paused and reversed the decision. In June, the US Supreme Court upheld Trump’s removal of a Democratic Federal Trade Commission member, ruling that statutory protections against removal without cause were invalid. Wilcox’s petition for Supreme Court review regarding an identical protection remains pending.

BOGOTA: A powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake has killed at least 111 people and injured 87 others in western Colombia, leaving communities grappling with widespread destruction and fears that more victims remain trapped beneath collapsed buildings. The earthquake struck on Monday, with its epicentre near San José del Palmar in the Chocó region. The powerful tremor was felt across a wide area and caused buildings to collapse in several locations. Emergency crews have been working through piles of concrete, bricks and debris as they search for survivors. Authorities warned that the death toll could rise as rescue teams reach areas where communication and access remain difficult. The disaster has caused severe damage in cities including Pereira, Cali and Manizales, while infrastructure and public services have also been affected. Rescue workers have been using heavy machinery alongside manual searches to reach people believed to be trapped under the rubble. Colombian authorities have mobilised emergency resources and launched a large-scale response operation. The government has also declared a national disaster as officials assess the full extent of the destruction. The earthquake has left families anxiously waiting for news of relatives who remain missing, while hospitals and emergency services continue treating the injured. As rescue operations continue, authorities are urging residents to remain alert for possible aftershocks and avoid entering damaged structures. With 111 lives already lost, the focus remains firmly on finding survivors and bringing urgent assistance to communities devastated by the powerful quake.

Reform UK has proposed an extensive military-led framework aimed at completely stopping small boat migration across the English Channel. The policy proposal outlines leveraging combined military and intelligence tracking technology to create a heavily monitored sea border, alongside granting emergency powers to armed forces to intercept vessels and push them back toward French territory. The plan includes expanding detention facilities to enable immediate offshore or domestic processing and deportation without eligibility for standard asylum routes. To facilitate these changes, the party stated it would pursue major legal shifts, including withdrawing the United Kingdom from the European Convention on Human Rights and replacing current national human rights legislation with a new domestic framework. Critics and legal scholars have questioned the feasibility of the measures, pointing out potential conflicts with international maritime agreements and international law. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Andy Burnham stated his administration would maintain a relentless focus on tackling immigration networks through increased enforcement and cross-border security cooperation.