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Politics
Policy, power, and the news of the day.
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Family and sexual violence rates against Australian children rise sharply as researchers warn of ‘manosphere’
Study authors say increase cannot be attributed to any one factor and list income inequality and growing awareness as other likely reasons Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast The sexual assault of Australian children has accelerated sharply since the pandemic, surprising researchers who expected rates to have fallen but instead found attacks on boys had risen 15.7%. Researchers expected rates to have dropped in line with other countries around the world and warn the troubling findings show an urgent need to prevent the suffering of children. Continue reading...
Aerial footage shows people rescued from rollercoaster after fatal incident at Six Flags – video
Theme park company Six Flags temporarily closed nine rollercoasters across six amusement parks on Monday after one person died and several others were injured in an incident involving a coaster in Georgia. Officials did not confirm how the person died, nor how the others were injured or their conditions. Witnesses who spoke to NBC affiliate WXIA of Atlanta said they saw a man fall from the Goliath rollercoaster. “He fell and hit the car three different times,” one witness told the station. Death on Six Flags rollercoaster in US triggers ride closures across six states Continue reading...
Kimberly Guilfoyle asked to resign as ambassador after reports she asked Trump donor to pay bill
Decision about US ambassador to Greece announced by White House after Trump and Rubio were reportedly furious over allegations Kimberly Guilfoyle has been asked to step down as US ambassador to Greece, after weeks of reports that she sought payment from a Trump donor in exchange for access to administration officials. The decision, announced by the White House on Tuesday morning, ends the diplomatic career of one of Trump’s longest-standing political allies. It came after Trump and Marco Rubio, the secretary of state, were reported to have grown furious over the allegations. Continue reading...
US transport secretary’s war on ‘woke’ could make roads even deadlier, experts warn
Sean Duffy targets bike lanes and immigrant truck drivers while steering funds away from addressing lethal US roads Barbara McCann might have been the first person to notice that the Federal Highway Administration had removed several safety policies from public view. McCann worked on road safety policy at the US Department of Transportation (USDOT) for more than a decade across multiple administrations, retiring in January 2025 just before Donald Trump ’s second term started. After Sean Duffy, the president’s ally and former Fox news host, took the wheel at USDOT, she became increasingly worried as the secretary appeared unmotivated to address pedestrian safety and regularly bashed bike infrastructure. Continue reading...
Flying foxes in NSW and Victoria face mass starvation amid food shortages
Rescuers respond to surge in callouts for the vulnerable bat species, which usually feeds on blossoms and tree nectar Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast Flying foxes are starving en masse across New South Wales and parts of Victoria, with wildlife rescuers responding to a surge in reports of “exhausted and emaciated” adults and skeletal pups. Most reports involved grey-headed flying foxes, listed as vulnerable under federal environment laws and which usually feed on the blossoms and nectar of native trees. Continue reading...
Allies did not warn Kyiv of Russian ballistic missile strikes, says Zelenskyy
Ukrainian president’s comments on ‘particularly vile’ strikes come after US threatened to halt intelligence sharing Europe live – latest updates Ukraine received no early warning from its partners about a Russian ballistic missile strike on Kyiv in which five missiles hit civilian infrastructure, Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Tuesday. The Ukrainian president described the attack on Monday as “particularly vile”. He emphasised that receiving intelligence from Ukraine’s western allies “helps saves lives, and this is one of the most critical issues”. Continue reading...
50 years on from Arts Britain Ignores: how much has changed for black and Asian artists?
Conference to explore legacy of Naseem Khan’s seminal 1976 report on the exclusion of minority ethnic artists It is 50 years since cultural historian Naseem Khan’s challenge to the British arts establishment was first published, and the question of who and what counts as British continues to be contested. The Arts Britain Ignores – Khan’s groundbreaking 1976 report, commissioned by organisations including the then Arts Council of Great Britain, presented a vision of a pluralistic national culture, in which the creativity of Britons of diverse ethnic backgrounds – from bhangra music, to black painters and Ukrainian dance – should be recognised, supported and respected. Continue reading...
Miriam González Durántez launches new centrist party in Spain
Wife of former British deputy PM Nick Clegg promises liberal alternative to the PP and Socialists before snap election The Spanish lawyer Miriam González Durántez has launched a new liberal, centrist party, vowing to clean up politics and give voters an alternative to the dominant socialist and conservative parties as the country gears up for next month’s snap general election . González Durántez, an ex-EU adviser who is married to the former British deputy prime minister Nick Clegg, says her new party, Democracia21 , will offer a modern, transparent kind of politics that “doesn’t feed on fear, insults or nostalgia”. Continue reading...
Pennsylvania announces sixth death in measles outbreak as case numbers rise
Latest fatality is unvaccinated woman, 39, with ‘underlying conditions’ but CDC still lists only two deaths nationwide A sixth death has been announced in Pennsylvania ’s measles outbreak, as new figures show cases in the state have risen above 1,100. The most recent fatality was reported in Franklin county on Monday in a statement posted to Facebook by its coroner. The victim was identified as a 39-year-old female who “had several underlying conditions, including a past diagnosis of measles with treatment”. Continue reading...
How to escape our collective paralysis in ‘these uncertain times’
Author Natasha Lennard discusses how to disrupt the ‘certainties’ that don’t serve us and how to fight back At the onset of the Covid pandemic in 2020, journalist Natasha Lennard started noticing a constant thrum of collective apprehension, epitomized in the phrase “in these uncertain times”. The expression acknowledged we didn’t have solutions for many of society’s problems: a globally spreading virus, the rise of the far right and stark “haves v have-nots” inequalities. In the years since, that “uncertainty” hasn’t gone anywhere, risking enabling paralysis – not knowing where to start to fix things and therefore giving up before trying. In her new book, On Un/Certainty: The Uses of Doubt in Dangerous Times, Lennard, who also was an organizer in the 2011 Occupy Wall Street movement , deconstructs the problematic nature of giving in to uncertainty. She also uses the Austrian-British philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein’s 1969 book On Certainty to question what is held as “certain” in today’s world, and who gets to make those calls. Continue reading...
Indonesia wildfire fuelled by El Niño razes 300 homes
Hundreds of people displaced in Bangka Belitung province as shift in wind direction drove blaze towards settlement An forest fire on Indonesia’s Sumatra island fuelled by El Niño has razed nearly 300 homes, forcing hundreds of people to evacuate, an official said on Tuesday as the country battles devastating blazes and haze. Residents first spotted the fire approaching their village in Bangka Belitung province on Saturday and tried to put it out themselves with portable water pumps, the head of South Bangka regency, Riza Herdavid, said. Continue reading...
Jury selection begins in hate crimes trial for Buffalo supermarket gunman
Trial could see white supremacist who killed 10 people in New York state store get the death penalty Jury selection is set to begin Tuesday in the trial that could see the white supremacist who killed 10 people in a 2022 Buffalo supermarket get the death penalty. The attack is believed to be the deadliest shooting targeting Black people in modern history. Continue reading...
Rightwing extremists increasingly likely to consider terrorist attacks, MI5 chief says
Move from anti-immigration or anti-Muslim views to violence is ‘most marked trend’ in spy agency’s caseload over last year Extremists holding anti-immigration opinions are becoming increasingly likely to consider carrying out terrorist attacks against immigration centres and asylum hotels in the UK, the head of MI5 has warned. Ken McCallum said a shift from radicalised rightwing sentiment to violence was “the most marked trend” in the spy agency’s caseload over the past year, contributing to a rise in the overall UK terror threat level. Russia remains “aggressor number one” as the Kremlin continues to lash out against the west with assassination plots, explosive threats and cyber-attacks that at times stop “not much short” of conventional warfare. Moscow tried to interfere in the 2016 Brexit referendum with anti-EU coverage on RT and Sputnik media, and via troll social media accounts, but there was a big difference between “what may have been attempted and what actually resulted”. He was “particularly focused” on the risk of hostile states or terrorists using AI to generate new, deadly bioweapons, and announced the creation of a new AI threat assessment centre to distinguish fact from fiction. There was a “concerning trend of violence targeted at political figures, religious or community groups”, as demonstrated by the killing of the former minister and Reform UK spokesperson Anne Widdecombe. Threats from other states had quadrupled in the last decade and were running on par with MI5’s counter-terrorism mission. “We have again entered a new era of national security,” he said. Continue reading...
Boston play ‘gives equal weight to stories’ of notorious female fugitive and daughter of policeman she killed
The Getaway Driver brings Katherine Ann Power’s story to stage, and amplifies a lesser heard voice: Clare Schroeder, daughter of officer who was killed in 1970 by activist group It is not every day that you can buy a home from a realtor who was a notorious fugitive. Katherine Ann Power, a 77-year-old grandmother in glasses and grey bob, is more than an agent who can cut you a deal for a condo in Boston: She spent 23 years on the run from the FBI, from 1970 until 1993. The longest of any woman in American history. Continue reading...
Burnham’s Your First Home scheme ‘could boost Bellway’s house output by 10%’
Help-to-buy initiative for England could slow market while first-time buyers wait for launch, builder admits Business live – latest updates The new Your First Home programme for first-time buyers could increase the number of houses British builder Bellway produces each year by 10%, its boss has said. Faced with a chronic shortage of homes, the government has made housing one of its top priorities and Andy Burnham’s surprise announcement of the YFH scheme a fortnight ago sent housebuilders’ shares soaring by more than 10%. Continue reading...
Jury sworn in for Russell Brand trial on rape and sexual assault charges
Prosecution expected to open its case on Wednesday after eight men and four women selected as jurors Russell Brand has attended court for the second day of his rape and sexual assault trial and a jury has been selected in the case. The 51-year-old comedian faces three charges of rape, three of sexual assault and one of indecent assault against six women, in allegations spanning 10 years from 1999 to 2009. Brand denies all the charges. Continue reading...
Pope Leo admitted to hospital for operation to remove growth on lung
Leo arrived at hospital on Tuesday for the surgery, which is deemed low risk and could take place this afternoon Pope Leo has been admitted to hospital in Rome for an operation to remove a small growth from his lung, a discovery a top Vatican cardinal said had come “like a bolt out of the blue”. In a rare moment of Vatican transparency, Leo, 71, said during his angelus prayer on Sunday that doctors had found a small nodule on his lung during a check-up , adding that it was “well-contained” and detected early. Continue reading...
Is punishing the poor Trump’s last hand to play?
The pre-midterm defenestration of ACA enrollees looks like political madness – but the president appears to believe hitting poor people might work for him There is a manic quality to Donald Trump ’s desperate dash to do something, anything, ahead of November’s midterm elections to convince beleaguered Americans that he can make the pressures his policies have imposed on their livelihoods go away. The US president offered to lower barriers against beef imports to limit surging meat prices, only to consider backtracking under pressure from the cow lobby. He offered to stop diesel exports, only to find oil companies were not interested . He weakened fuel efficiency standards, claiming this would trim the price of a new car (and forgetting to point out it will also raise spending on gas.) In early October he started mailing $500 checks to nearly a million people touting his healthcare “wins”. Oh, and he promised adult Americans a $5,000 check if Republicans maintain control of Congress. That, too, will go nowhere . Continue reading...
UK asks Interpol to reject Argentina’s ‘politically motivated’ requests for Falklands oil arrests
Exclusive: Caution urged over Javier Milei government’s ‘red notice’ requests for arrest of individuals linked to oil project Britain has appealed to Interpol to reject Argentina’s requests for the arrest of individuals involved in a large oil project off the Falkland Islands. With tensions over the sovereignty of the British overseas territory reaching levels not seen since the war with Argentina in 1982, UK officials have sought urgent assurances from the international organisation. Continue reading...
Ian McKellen to star in UK premiere of ‘mixed reality’ play – but not in person
Audiences in Manchester will be asked to wear smart glasses for An Ark, which debuted in New York this year Ian McKellen will star in a groundbreaking new play that gets its UK premiere in Manchester next spring. But the veteran actor will not set foot on stage. The Lord of the Rings star is taking part in An Ark, a “mixed reality” play that had its debut in New York earlier this year. Theatregoers are asked to wear smart glasses, which project the actors into the room. Continue reading...
First Thing: Democratic leaders condemn federal raid on Ilhan Omar as she vows not to be silenced
Minnesota congresswoman criticized raid as attempt by Trump administration ‘to target political enemies and weaponize law enforcement’. Plus what is to be done about the world record in the women’s marathon? Good morning. Ilhan Omar has said she will not be silenced after federal agents raided her home. In a social media post, the Minnesota congresswoman criticized the raid as an attempt by the Trump administration “to target political enemies and weaponize law enforcement”. Donald Trump and key allies have accused Omar of fraud related to her family’s immigration history, fantasizing openly about denaturalizing her and expelling her from the country. Omar said in her post: “This is just the latest escalation in his campaign of political intimidation. I will not be silenced.” How have Ilhan Omar’s Democratic colleagues reacted to the raid? House Democratic leaders, including minority leader Hakeem Jeffries, party whip Katherine Clark and caucus chair Pete Aguilar, issued a joint statement excoriating the president for the search, calling it “deeply disturbing”. The Democratic leaders vowed to “deliver full accountability for the rogue abuse of power” from the US Departments of Justice and Homeland Security. Continue reading...
Hobbs and Whistles owner investigates hack that may have exposed customer data
Cyber-attack on TFG London comes less than a week after online fashion seller Asos was hit by hackers Business live – latest updates The owner of Phase Eight, Hobbs and Whistles has warned that its websites and IT systems have been hit by a cyber-attack that may have compromised customers’ personal data. The South-African listed TFG London said that it had identified the “cybersecurity incident” at the three UK-based retail chains on Sunday. Its two other UK brands – Inside Story and White Stuff – are not affected. Continue reading...
Trump targets Ilhan Omar at rally following raid on her home – US politics live
President says Somalia, birthplace of the Minnesota Democratic congresswoman, is ‘one of the worst countries on the planet’ Sign up for the US Breaking News email Hello and welcome to the US politics live blog. Minnesota congresswoman Ilhan Omar said she will “not be silenced” and called a search of her Washington home part of President Donald Trump’s “intimidation” campaign. She comes from one of the worst countries anywhere on the planet. What a mess they have done - Somalia. A federal judge has ordered Donald Trump’s administration to temporarily halt the broadcast of taxpayer-funded television ads promoting the president ahead of the 3 November midterm elections. Effective as of 6.45pm ET on Sunday, US district judge Jennifer L Rochon of the southern district of New York issued a temporary restraining order aimed at the ads that is meant to stay in effect for at least 14 days. The New York mayor, Zohran Mamdani , compared US Immigration and Customs Enforcement ( ICE )’s recent shooting of a man in the Manhattan enclave of Marble Hill to a mass shooting scene – and called for an end to the agency’s operations in his city. Mamdani’s joined MS NOW’s Jacob Soboroff for his first media interview since ICE agents shot and wounded Oscar Belgal, 28, during an enforcement operation while he was in his car with his five-year-old child also inside. The Republican US senator Roger Marshall says he has finally paid off a bakery debt – after six years and repeated collection attempts reported by a Kansas business that had supplied a large order of treats for a 2020 election watch party. “We have absolutely no idea how this happened”, the Kansas senator wrote in a social media post containing a screenshot of the payment on a $678.75 invoice from Holly’s Sweet Treats as well as his $1,300 payment. “And we have repaid the bill … double.” A businessman wanted for years in the US for allegedly paying bribes to top Venezuelan officials in exchange for lucrative state contracts in Venezuela has been taken into custody. Alvaro Pulido was indicted in Miami federal court in 2019 and again in 2021 as part of an investigation into his longtime business partner, Alex Saab, a one-time ally of ousted Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro . Continue reading...
‘Our future is being stolen’: Greta Thunberg joins students protesting in Paris
Swedish activist stands alongside French teenagers calling for investment to fix teacher shortages and crumbling schools The Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg has joined demonstrating high school students in France as the country braced for another day of nationwide protests over chronic teacher shortages, overcrowded classes and crumbling buildings . “Young people are not being included in the conversation,” Thunberg, 23, who became famous as a teenager through school strikes demanding action on the climate crisis, told reporters outside the Lycée Paul Éluard in the Paris suburb of Saint-Denis. Continue reading...