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Politics
Policy, power, and the news of the day.
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China’s monthly car exports top 1m for first time as overall trade soars
Country risks new tariffs from US and EU as it looks likely to match or beat last year’s record surplus of $1tn Business live – latest updates China’s monthly car exports topped 1m for the first time in June as overall overseas shipments from the world’s second biggest economy rose 27%. Official Chinese customs data showed that a stronger-than-expected trade performance kept China on track to match or beat last year’s record trade surplus of $1tn (£748bn), achieved despite Donald Trump’s curtailed tariff war. Continue reading...
First Thing: Trump threatens to impose US tolls on Hormuz shipping as strikes on Iran continue
Change of US position on free navigation comes as two tankers hit by Iranian cruise missiles. Plus, the international outpouring of love for the late actor Sam Neill Good morning. The US has launched its third consecutive night of strikes on Iran , hours after Donald Trump said Washington would reinstate a maritime blockade on the country and charge ships for safe passage. The UAE said two national tankers were targeted by two Iranian cruise missiles in the southern lane of the strait of Hormuz in Omani territorial waters, killing one Indian crew member and wounding eight others, including four seriously. Iran and the US are in theory nearly halfway through the 60-day period of an interim deal that was supposed to set up talks for a permanent end to the war, which began in February with the assassination of Iran’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei. In reality, that deal has devolved into a series of attacks over the strait of Hormuz, resulting in the near-total collapse of an interim ceasefire and worrying world leaders that the conflict could fully resume. How has Trump changed his position on tolls? On Monday, Trump said the US would demand a 20% tariff on all cargoes shipped through the strait of Hormuz. Until now, the US had said the strait should remain open to all without tolls – as it was before Washington and Israel attacked Iran on 28 February. Any attempt by the US or Iran – which has also proposed tolls – to charge fees would violate global norms on freedom of navigation and would be likely to cause further economic disruption far beyond the region. What did Nordone say about her appointment? In brief remarks, Nordone, 64, said: “Lindsey has always been there for me, and now I will be there for him. I promise to work hard over the next several months to support the president and carry forward the efforts of my brother on behalf of the citizens of South Carolina and the United States. I think this is what Lindsey would have wanted, and I plan to honor him in this way. I miss you more than I can even put into words, but I’m going to do this. I got it.” Continue reading...
Hunter Biden says ‘rule of law prevailed’ in defamation lawsuit netting him $1.7m
Biden sued ex-CEO of Overstock.com Patrick Byrne over claim that Biden sought bribe from Iran government in 2021 Hunter Biden says he is “grateful that the rule of law prevailed” in a defamation lawsuit that recently netted him a judgment of $1.7m in punitive damages from former Overstock.com CEO Patrick Byrne. Biden made that comment in a social media post that served as his first comments about the judgment, which a federal judge in California handed down on Friday. Continue reading...
With New York Times subpoenas, Trump is brazenly escalating his attacks on the press | Margaret Sullivan
Federal agents showed up at reporters’ homes, targeting journalists for doing exactly what the first amendment protects To non-journalists, receiving a government subpoena is a serious thing but probably not a violation of basic rights. To journalists, it’s quite a different matter – an attack on a foundational right to gather information in the public interest and to provide confidentiality to sources. Continue reading...
MLB storylines at the All-Star break: summer surges, the woeful Mets and the first-place White Sox
As the Home Run Derby and All-Star Game take over Philadelphia, we take a spin around the majors with an awards watch, an Ohtani update and lots in between With more than half of the MLB season in the books, the baseball world has convened in Philadelphia for the annual All-Star festivities. What better time for owners and players to engage in Brotherly Love and figure out how to avoid the widely predicted 2027 labor strife that could cancel next season? Considering the storm clouds gathering, a near-term resolution seems unlikely, so we’d better soak in the season we’re having. How’s that going? Glad you asked. Continue reading...
Lindsey Graham autobiography sheds light on record on race
Memoir details upbringing of late senator – who denied existence of systemic racism – in segregated south A little-known autobiography from Lindsey Graham published in 2015 sheds light on his complicated record of acknowledging and addressing racism in South Carolina. Graham, born in 1955, came of age in a small textile town in the segregated south, located in Pickens county, the site of the last documented lynching in South Carolina in 1947. My Story, which came across as political spin to anyone who knew the background of Graham’s unlikely rise to political prominence , is a window into the conservative white man’s view of the south’s enduring racial tensions. Continue reading...
The Todd Blanche hearings will test senators’ commitment to the rule of law | Claire Finkelstein
Trump’s former personal attorney has a vast slate of conflicts of interest. Will lawmakers do their job in his confirmation hearings? Todd Blanche is the most conflicted nominee for attorney general the US Congress has yet to encounter. As the former private attorney for Donald Trump, Blanche has been an unflappable ally for the president since 2023, when he left his private firm , Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft, to represent Trump in the hush-money prosecution brought against him by the Manhattan district attorney, Alvin Bragg. He went on to represent Trump in two other criminal prosecutions – the Mar-a-Lago classified documents prosecution, and the January 6 prosecution, both brought against Trump by the special counsel Jack Smith. As both deputy attorney general and as acting head of the justice department since April, when attorney general Pam Bondi was fired by Donald Trump, Blanche has unabashedly continued his advocacy work for his former client through other means. He has signed off on a settlement between the IRS and Donald Trump regarding the latter’s taxes, that would ban the IRS from pursuing litigation against Trump, his family or his businesses forever. That settlement has now been ruled by a federal judge to be self-dealing; she referred the case to the Florida Bar Association. The New York Bar has issued a letter saying that Blanche is unfit for office. Claire Finkelstein is the Algernon Biddle professor of law and professor of philosophy at the University of Pennsylvania and the faculty director of its Center for Ethics and the Rule of Law Continue reading...
It’s the hope that kills you – so fingers crossed for Andy Burnham | Zoe Williams
World Cup victory for England next week could raise expectations the likely new prime minister can’t live up to Andy Burnham yesterday got himself clear of the magic number – the 323 Labour MPs who had to support him to make any leadership challenge mathematically impossible. Half a week had gone by in limbo, his endorsements standing at 322, everyone knowing he was the next prime minister, nobody able to call it anything more than “likely”. What were those last MPs waiting for? Maybe they were just in it for the atmospherics. You can’t run a coronation like a slam dunk; it needs choreographed suspense, a sense of ceremony. In an ideal world, the last names would have arrived in the form of a wax-sealed letter, carried by a horse or a bird. Continue reading...
Iranian flights to Yemen are violation of sovereignty, says Yemeni official
Plane bringing Houthi delegation home from Tehran had to divert after Yemeni government bombed Sana’a airport Middle East crisis live – latest updates Iranian flights to and from Yemen are an unacceptable violation of the country’s sovereignty, the vice-president in Yemen’s Saudi-backed, UN-recognised government has said. Abdullah al-Alimi said in an interview that the planes contained equipment for the Houthi movement, which he said had transformed from merely a domestic threat into a regional and international threat to global security and the global economy. Continue reading...
‘God is punishing the politicians’: anger at earthquake response grows in Venezuela
Threat of social unrest rises as public indignation at lack of disaster aid comes on top of fallout from US military intervention • A revolution in ruins: fury amid the rubble of a housing project in quake-hit Venezuela Public anger at what many perceive as the Venezuelan government’s botched response to twin earthquakes that killed nearly 4,500 people is growing, with one grieving mother caught on camera berating the son of former president Nicolás Maduro. Maduro’s politician son received a hostile reception while visiting a semi-destroyed social housing project named after his father’s late mentor Hugo Chávez. Continue reading...
Nigel Farage turned down taxpayer-funded security including bodyguard, car and driver last year – UK politics live
The head of Reform UK refused the security, which was a similar level to that received by the leader of the opposition, because he considered it inadequate Continue reading...
Jenrick criticises government for not offering Farage earlier security meeting
Reform’s Treasury spokesperson says talks on party leader’s protection only happening ‘as a result’ of Ann Widdecombe’s death UK politics live – latest updates Robert Jenrick has criticised the government for not offering Nigel Farage a security meeting earlier, saying it has only happened “as a result” of the death of Ann Widdecombe. The Reform UK Treasury spokesperson claimed ministers had chosen not to give Farage the security “that he needed”, and had only agreed to arrange a meeting with the chair of the royal and VIP executive committee (Ravec), the body responsible for the security of high-profile figures, “as a result of Ann Widdecombe’s appalling murder”. Continue reading...
Polish-Ukrainian solidarity over Russian threat undermined by bitter historical dispute
Kyiv’s decision to honour second world war fighters who killed about 100,000 Poles has revived simmering tensions In the aftermath of Russia’s attack on Ukraine in February 2022, Polish-Ukrainian solidarity emerged as one of the most heartwarming subplots of the Kremlin’s brutal war. Millions of Poles, remembering their country’s own tragic history with Russia, mobilised to help Ukrainian refugees with food, shelter and support as they crossed the border in huge numbers to flee the conflict. Four years later, that outpouring of generosity and solidarity is a distant memory, as the two countries find themselves locked in a bitter dispute over history that has led to angry rhetoric, mutual mud-slinging and a threat from Poland to block Ukraine’s EU accession until it gets its historical house in order. Continue reading...
France hopes to send ‘strategic signal’ about Europe’s renewed military focus at Bastille Day celebrations – Europe live
Many leaders from the ‘Coalition of the Willing’ stayed overnight in Paris to attend the parade, which will be Emmanuel Macron’s last as president You can watch our live stream of the Bastille Day parade in Paris here, with final preparations now under way before the event starts soon. Most leaders are already in their premium seats, including French PM Sébastien Lecornu, with France’s Emmanuel Macron expected shortly before the start at 10am (9am UK). Continue reading...
World Cup 2026: France v Spain semi-final buildup; Rice set to start for England against Argentina – live
⚽️ Latest news before first of the semi-finals in Dallas ⚽️ Player guide | Golden Boot | Football Daily | Email us More from Nick Ames in Dallas. France are out for revenge after a Lamine Yamal wonder goal was the difference between the sides two years ago. Continue reading...
South East Water to pay £30.5m penalty after multiple failures
Ofwat investigated supplier over supply interruptions, customer failings and for breaching its licence South East Water will pay £30.5m after a series of supply interruptions, customer failings and for breaching its licence, regulator Ofwat has confirmed. The watchdog said the redress package concludes three investigations into the supplier and includes a previously proposed £22m fine for water supply failures between 2020 and 2023 affecting more than 286,000 people. Continue reading...
LGBTQ+ pop-up in former Sydney church ordered by landlord to cancel events after religious protest
Landlord of deconsecrated building sends notice of breach to Divine Playhouse, claiming it ‘insulted and mocked’ beliefs of Christian Australians Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast A deconsecrated Sydney church newly transformed into an LGBTQ+ venue has had to cancel events and been ordered to stop “engaging in offensive trade” by its landlord after religious groups protested against its opening night. Divine Playhouse opened last Wednesday with the intention of being a safe and inclusive space for artists to work and connect with audiences, its organiser said. Continue reading...
‘We are dying little by little here’: asylum seekers at mercy of Home Office hotel closures
Legal challenges launched over accommodation ‘adequacy’ as UK government closes more asylum hotels Huda and her two children aged 10 and 12 had been living in two rooms in a London hotel for six months when they were told with just a few days’ notice they would be moved. The 41-year-old engineering graduate from Tunisia fled death threats from extended family and is waiting for an asylum application to be processed. The Home Office had decided that Staycity, the hotel the family was staying in, would be closed as part of a government pledge that asylum seekers would be moved out of hotels and into military barracks or other forms of shared housing. The move followed protests by anti-migrant activists, with many arguing hotels were too luxurious to accommodate asylum seekers. Some names have been changed. Continue reading...
Tuesday briefing: The law that Hillsborough built – and the bitter final battle to get it through
In today’s newsletter: A new law criminalising public bodies and officials that lie to the British public is expected to complete it final stages in the Commons. Why did it take so long? Good morning. We think we know this story, the one about the 97 who went to watch a football match on a sunny afternoon. Perhaps you remember, as I do, watching footage of the lethal crush at Sheffield Wednesday’s Hillsborough stadium, on the evening news in your childhood living room. Or maybe you read later how South Yorkshire police presented a series of false narratives that blamed Liverpool football club supporters, rather than take responsibility for their own catastrophic mismanagement of the FA Cup semi-final. Today, after a decade of campaigning, a new law criminalising public bodies and officials that lie to the British public, and supporting people fighting these authorities for the truth, is expected to complete it final stages in the Commons, pushed through by Keir Starmer as one of his final acts as prime minister. UK news | British counter-terrorism police are now leading the investigation into the death of Ann Widdecombe in a shock development that has renewed the debate over the security of politicians. A 28-year-old man from Rotherham is being held in custody on suspicion of her murder. Middle East | The US has launched its third consecutive night of strikes on Iran hours after Donald Trump said Washington would reinstate a maritime blockade on the country and, in an apparently policy reversal, charge ships for safe passage. UK politics | Andy Burnham is to become Britain’s next prime minister after winning the backing of 349 Labour MPs, including all eligible members of Keir Starmer’s current cabinet, making it impossible for any rival to secure enough nominations to challenge him. Environment | Most of the UK media stories about the record-breaking heatwave that struck in June failed to mention the climate crisis , analysis has found. Even fewer pieces drew a link between the heatwave and government policies designed to tackle the climate crisis. US news | The US government has already paid back tens of billions of dollars in tariffs it collected before the supreme court ruled them illegal, according to budget figures released on Monday. Continue reading...
Ed Husic tells Labor to get tougher on AI companies as letting them self-regulate ‘doomed to fail’
Labor MP also says watering down copyright rules is ‘going against the ethos’ of his party The Labor MP Ed Husic says any moves to water down copyright law to benefit AI companies would be “going against the ethos” of the party, urging his colleagues to place stricter rules on the big tech firms or be “doomed to failure”. Ahead of Anthony Albanese’s major speech on artificial intelligence on Wednesday , the Media Entertainment & Arts Alliance – the union for journalists, artists and creatives – called on the government to enact tougher new copyright rules to prevent creative works being taken to train AI models. Continue reading...
Teenager left with life-threatening injuries after alleged stabbing at Brisbane school
Queensland police arrest a 16-year-old boy after an alleged altercation with a 17-year-old boy at Islamic College of Brisbane Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast A teenager has been left with life-threatening injuries after being allegedly stabbed by another student at a Brisbane high school. The alleged altercation took place at the Islamic College of Brisbane in Karawatha, south of Brisbane at about 11.45am on Tuesday. Continue reading...
Bangkok bar fire: death toll reaches 30 as police investigate negligence as ‘primary theory’
Bar owner in Thailand offers ‘deepest apologies for this tragic incident’ as police investigate whether exits were either blocked or hard to access The Bangkok pub that has become the scene of the city’s deadliest blaze in 17 years has said it will cooperate with an investigation into alleged negligence, as the death toll rose to 30. The local district office said on Tuesday that three more people died after the devastating fire that broke out in the early hours of Monday. An initial assessment by disaster officials found that an electrical short circuit in an air conditioner located in the ceiling caused the fire. Continue reading...
UK’s alcohol-free beer boom threatened by regulations, trade body warns
BBPA wants content definition for beer to be considered alcohol free to be changed from 0.05% to 0.5% Pubs and brewers are being prevented from capitalising on Britons’ record-breaking thirst for alcohol-free beer because of over-strict regulation, a trade body has warned. More than 64m pints of low- and no-alcohol beer is forecast to be sold over the summer, an increase of 8m compared with 2025, the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) said, citing the figures as proof that the category is “not just a fad” . Continue reading...
Burnham has a chance to overhaul Pip. Here's what a truly progressive system could look like | Frances Ryan
Last week’s Timms report shows how disability is still vilified. But some pragmatic fixes would help both claimants and the economy “Broken Britain” has become the favourite narrative of the right in recent months. The playbook goes like this: politicians and pundits alike exploit genuine concerns about squeezed services and living standards to propagate a sense of division and despair. Meanwhile, the parts of the state that actually need radical change are then either ignored or misrepresented, if only because their worst impact tends to be felt by the very marginalised communities the hard right scapegoats. Few areas demonstrate this more than the disability benefits system. Reading the damning Timms report – the government’s landmark review into the personal independence payment (Pip) in England and Wales – last week, I was struck by the gulf between reality and rhetoric. The disability benefits system is “ not fit for purpose ” and “dehumanising” for claimants, the report found, yet scroll through a news site or switch on talk radio and there’s tumbleweed when it comes to substantive ideas to reform it, especially from figures typically eager to declare the nation’s institutions at risk of imminent collapse. Frances Ryan is a Guardian columnist In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be contacted on freephone 116 123. In the US, you can call or text the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline on 988, chat on 988lifeline.org , or text HOME to 741741 to connect with a crisis counselor. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Other international helplines can be found at befrienders.org Continue reading...