section
Politics
Policy, power, and the news of the day.
4165 stories archived
Here we Joh again? The spectre of Bjelke-Petersen still looms large over Queensland
The LNP’s unapologetic moves on crime, transgender healthcare and police-led suppression of protests are a throwback to days many thought had come and gone Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast A sign stopped Aunty Sandra King in her tracks. The elder of the Yagara, Quandamooka and Bundjalung people, now in her 70s, spoke at a protest last month against plans to build an Olympic stadium in the heart of Brisbane’s Victoria Park. In the crowd a man held aloft a homemade placard with the words “I Preferred Joh”. Continue reading...
‘We feel like the peasants’: women and low-income families bear brunt of heatwave
As temperatures soar across Europe, cities are struggling to adapt, further exacerbating socioeconomic divisions The heatwave afflicting western Europe is the worst ever , with the combination of heat and humidity fuelled by the climate crisis making scores of cities feel unliveable. While for some the adverse impacts amount to disturbed sleep and sticky days in the home office, low-income families are often worse affected by cities’ lack of adequate adaptation measures, with women at the sharp end. “[It] throws a grenade into every vulnerability you already have,” says Asad Rehman, chief executive of Friends of the Earth, pointing out that vulnerable or marginalised groups often bear the brunt of climate crisis-based hardship globally. Continue reading...
Last-place Mets fire manager Carlos Mendoza after dismal first half of season
New York are 34-47 and have lost six straight Team have MLB’s second-highest payroll at $377m Carlos Mendoza was fired as manager of the underperforming New York Mets on Friday and replaced by Andy Green. New York are 34-47 following a six-game losing streak, 15 games behind National League East-leading Atlanta and 9.5 games back of the NL’s last wild-card berth. Continue reading...
Venezuela death toll doubles as interim president vows to save ‘as many people as possible’
Delcy Rodríguez says foreign rescue teams are arriving but people are angry at official response and limited resources Venezuela’s interim president, Delcy Rodríguez, has vowed to fight to save “as many people as possible” as the official death toll from the country’s worst earthquake in more than a century almost doubled, but frustration was growing at the perceived sluggishness of the government’s response. Rodríguez said on Friday that the official death toll had risen to 589, with nearly 3,000 people injured. Speaking during a tour of La Guaira , the most devastated region, Rodríguez said foreign search and rescue groups were starting to arrive. Continue reading...
Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis and Xander Zayas put promise to test in Brooklyn clash
Two of boxing’s ascendant stars have been tabbed for greatness since they were teenagers. On Saturday night at Barclays Center, one will claim the signature win both have been chasing It is the type of fight boxing routinely claims to want and too rarely delivers. When Jaron “Boots” Ennis and Xander Zayas step into the ring at the Barclays Center on Saturday night, they will be putting more on the line than their undefeated records. They will be risking the carefully cultivated aura of inevitability that has surrounded both men since they were teenagers. In an era when promising fighters are routinely steered around danger rather than toward it, Ennis and Zayas have chosen a different road. The result is one of the year’s most compelling fights: a showdown between two undefeated champions tabbed for stardom since adolescence whose reputations still outpace their résumés. Continue reading...
Why is alcohol dangerous in a heatwave, and should I cut it out completely?
Those partial to a pint may be relieved to know a modest of amount of weak beer may actually be beneficial European heatwave live – latest updates As Europe endures a record-breaking heatwave, countries are taking steps to keep people safe and prevent health services from becoming overstretched. Parisians face a temporary ban on drinking alcohol in public to reduce the pressure on the hospitals after a four-fold rise in cardiac arrests in a 24-hour period. We look at why drinking alcohol can be dangerous in a heatwave. Continue reading...
Serena Williams sprinkles stardust at Wimbledon with top female players toiling
Her motivations for returning may be hard to gauge but there is no doubt the returning former champion will steal the early spotlight at SW19 At the southernmost point of the All England Lawn Tennis Club’s vast grounds, Serena Williams was starting another day of training as the clock ticked down to her first singles match after four years of retirement. Her training partner for the morning, Marta Kostyuk, soon joined her on court 10 in Aorangi Park, the quaint practice area reserved only for players. Kostyuk is one of the more extroverted players on the tour and she is widely known for speaking her mind under all circumstances, but when Williams greeted Kostyuk and thanked her for the training session, for once the Ukrainian looked at a loss for words: “No, thank you for playing with me ,” she responded. Continue reading...
Trump administration moves to restart LGBTQ+ suicide hotline it initially ended
The Trevor Project non-profit that helped pioneer LGBTQ+ ‘press 3’ option for 988 hotline is being shut out as it restarts The Trump administration is moving to restart the specialized LGBTQ+ option for youth who contact the 988 crisis intervention hotline – but the group that helped pioneer the idea is being shut out. The Trevor Project, the New York-based leading non-profit for suicide prevention in LGBTQ+ young people in the US, may not be allowed to offer the service it had helped develop for the 988 Lifeline just a few years ago. Continue reading...
US players insist momentum remains with them despite late loss to Turkey
The US were on the verge of an encouraging draw in a meaningless game, but they insist that losing to Turkey changes nothing about what’s to come Throughout the week preceding the United States’ final group game, the matchup with Turkey was discussed as something of a formality. The new World Cup format made it impossible to begin speculation on a possible opponent until the third wave of matches kicked off on Wednesday, but the co-hosts’ place in the round of 32 was already secure. There were ample questions about how much Mauricio Pochettino would (and should) rotate. Christian Pulisic’s every movement, including whether or not he was donning a sleeve on his calf, was closely scrutinized. The atmosphere around training was light and jovial, a rare “eye of the hurricane” moment where the intensity seemed to wane and positivity permeated every corner of the team’s camp in Irvine. Continue reading...
Hawaii ruling praised by US gun rights groups – are more rollbacks coming?
Experts say decision presents problem for business owners – and indicates direction court’s conservatives are heading Experts say a supreme court ruling that struck down a Hawaii law banning people from carrying guns on private property without permission could present problems for business owners – and is a bellwether of what steps the majority-conservative court may take toward undoing policies they see as placing an undue burden on legal gun owners. The US supreme court handed down the ruling in Wolford v Lopez on Thursday in a 6-3 decision . Second-amendment law centers and advocates praised the ruling as another win and important step toward challenging other restrictions that are out of line with gun laws that existed at the nation’s founding. Gun control and gun violence groups, meanwhile, lambasted the decision as a dangerous one that prioritizes the rights of gun owners over public safety. Continue reading...
Kent van driver praised for giving lift to armed officer chasing suspect
Bodycam footage captures moment motorist pulls over to help police officer and calls: ‘Get in the back’ A van driver in Kent has been praised after giving a lift to an armed police officer who was chasing down a suspect. Bodycam footage from the officer captured the moment the motorist pulled over to help the police on 16 June and called out: “Get in the back. Get in the back.” Continue reading...
State functions, public access and office space: the plans for revamped Buckingham Palace
King Charles will never live in landmark despite £369m upgrade, but aides stress it will remain ‘buzzing hive’ of royal activity Not all modern British monarchs have viewed the prospect of moving into Buckingham Palace with unalloyed joy. So in announcing he will never live there, after the completion of its £369m upgrade next year, King Charles has at least grasped that nettle. Queen Victoria was initially dismayed by the damp, dingy and disorganised building that greeted her and Prince Albert in 1837. It was Albert who refashioned it into “Monarchy HQ”. After his 1861 death, Victoria retreated mainly to Windsor, Balmoral and Osborne House on the Isle of Wight. Continue reading...
Murderer of Henry Nowak shown in new footage lying about facing racist attack
Police bodycam footage also shows Vickrum Digwa claiming student was wounded from punch or falling over The murderer of Henry Nowak, the student whose death sparked riots in Southampton, is seen lying to police officers about being racially attacked in newly released bodyworn camera footage. Vickrum Digwa, 23, was jailed for life with a minimum of 20 years this month for stabbing the 18-year-old five times in December last year. Continue reading...
UK government urged to act on ‘devastating’ impact of heatwaves
MPs hear current plans fall ‘far short of what is needed’ with many deaths expected and children baking in classrooms UK politics live – latest updates The UK government is facing increasingly urgent calls for action to protect people against the intensifying effects of the climate crisis. With the country in the grip of the worst heatwave ever recorded in western Europe – a direct result of global heating – the chair of parliament’s environmental audit committee warned ministers of the urgent threat and that it was falling “far short of what is needed”. Continue reading...
Ex-Trump adviser John Bolton expected to plead guilty in classified information case – US politics live
Bolton to plead guilty charges that he unlawfully retained sensitive national security information in agreement that includes $2.25m fine Sign up for the Breaking News US email Hello and welcome to the US politics live blog. John Bolton , former national security adviser to Donald Trump , is expected to plead guilty on Friday to charges that he unlawfully retained sensitive national security information. Continue reading...
‘Make people dream’: how to build an economy for the common good
Economist Prof Mariana Mazzucato says governments must ‘get back their mojo’ and believe they can change the world Good governments have a vision. They know what they want to achieve, can articulate why, and work out in public how to get there. They don’t just spout slogans about economic growth – because growth is meaningless unless we know what it is for. They understand that there is no trade-off between solving social problems and boosting the economy, and aim to do both, while avoiding rigid fiscal rules that defeat their own purpose by strangling public investment. If this sounds like a critique of what went wrong with Keir Starmer’s government , it is also a lot more. Mariana Mazzucato, a professor in the economics of innovation and public value at University College London, is a world-renowned economist, adviser to governments, chair of international commissions, prolific author and PhD supervisor to at least one poet. She was the thinker who inspired Starmer to fashion his political project around five key “missions” , now largely forgotten in the mire of scandals, U-turns and infighting that beset his premiership. Continue reading...
‘Everyone is talking about Cape Verde’: World Cup run delights diaspora community in UK
Cape Verdeans in Britain feeling ‘incredibly proud’ after team’s hard-fought draws against Spain and Uruguay World Cup live – latest updates For as long as she can remember, 13-year-old Lauryn struggled to find a map that included Cape Verde. Now, to her great delight, the tiny African island nation is finally centre stage. “Seeing our country shown across the world at the World Cup makes me feel incredibly proud,” Lauryn says. “After the first match, everyone was talking about Cape Verde. People saw the talent and the skill of our players.” Continue reading...
Rotisserie chickens in the trash: I worked in a supermarket and saw shocking food waste every day | Ann Larson
Stores over-stock their shelves, then toss out what they don’t sell. Meanwhile, workers struggle to make ends meet To most grocery shoppers, rotisserie chickens look like a mouth-watering and easy option for dinner. But whenever I pass by the rotisserie case in a supermarket, I see chicken carcasses piled up in the trash, their once glistening juices congealing into a slimy jelly. It all started when I was working as a cashier in a chain supermarket. One day, I was chatting with a colleague about the behind-the-scenes secrets that shoppers didn’t see. The deli employee said, “Last night we tossed out about sixteen birds.” He explained that managers wanted the rotisserie chicken case to be full at all times because a full case looked appetizing, while a half empty one looked sad. Keeping the case full was an all-day affair. Workers arrived before dawn to season and roast dozens of birds. (One employee burned his arm while maneuvering chickens into the oven. He quit soon after.) The seasoning and roasting continued throughout the day. As birds disappeared from the display case, workers replaced them. Finally, the store closed, and the leftover chickens were thrown out. Ann Larson is the author of Cleanup on Aisle Five: Essential Work, Poverty Wages, and the View from Behind the Supermarket Register . She is a fellow with the Economic Hardship Reporting Project. Continue reading...
In pictures: a San Antonio land bridge designed for wildlife and people
Spanning a six-lane highway and located in a public park, this crossing is part of a larger restoration of endangered Texas prairie land The Guardian receives support for visual climate coverage from the Outrider Foundation . The Guardian’s coverage is editorially independent Continue reading...
New study suggests health damage from exposure to Ohio toxic train spill
Research finds immune systems still ‘responding to toxic chemical exposures’ related to East Palestine derailment In the weeks after the East Palestine train wreck culminated in a towering fireball and chemical release in the small Ohio town, Jessica Boersma was seriously exposed to the stew of compounds emitted from the derailment site. Boersma lives less than a quarter mile away, and, as a city council member, she had to spend significant time at the site coordinating with first responders. Continue reading...
Trump administration targets Cop City protesters in latest push to prosecute ‘antifa’
Critics say the government is ‘creating a boogeyman’ in its drive to use the ‘antifa’ label to frame protesters as terrorists The federal US government is sweeping up protesters against Cop City, a police training center outside Atlanta, in its push to prosecute what it calls “antifa” – even as state attempts to prosecute activists over the same incident failed for the second time this week. The case offers insight into the Trump administration’s drive to link the idea of anti-fascism to terrorism, drawn into focus by the decades-long sentences given to protesters against US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in the Prairieland trial in Texas, also this week. Continue reading...
Remove home secretary Mahmood and rip up her asylum plans, says Alf Dubs
Veteran Labour peer who fled Nazis as a child attacks ‘performative cruelty’ of Shabana Mahmood’s policies UK politics live – latest updates Shabana Mahmood should be moved out of the Home Office and her asylum policies of “performative cruelty” ripped up by Andy Burnham’s administration, Alf Dubs has said. The veteran Labour peer who came to the UK aged six in 1939 fleeing the persecution of Jews in Nazi-occupied Czechoslovakia said the home secretary’s talents “would be better used elsewhere in the cabinet”. Continue reading...
Revolut pushes new recruits into office in shift from ‘remote-first’ policy
Hundreds of graduates and interns at finance firm will now have to work in office at least three days a week Business live – latest updates Revolut will haul hundreds of graduates and interns into the office next year, as the digital bank moves away from its “remote-first” policy that has long been used to lure new recruits. The London-headquartered fintech company had previously allowed its young trainees to choose whether to work from home or Revolut’s offices, reflecting flexible working arrangements offered to all other staff. That included the option of working abroad for 120 days of the year, with the company saying it trusts employees to “explore new cultures while staying productive and connected”. Continue reading...
First Thing: US military justice under scrutiny after pilot convicted of strangling British woman
Sarah Steele spoke of ‘degrading’ experience under US military justice after assault in England. Plus, why Toy Story 5 is the ultimate millennial girl movie Good morning. A UK justice minister has described the case of a British woman strangled by a US fighter pilot on UK soil as “really serious” and said the Ministry of Justice would examine it. Why did a US fighter pilot avoid British trial after strangling a woman in England? Technically, the UK authorities should have primary jurisdiction to prosecute crimes allegedly perpetrated by US service members off duty and off base. But the Wulfson case is one of several uncovered by the Guardian in which UK police and prosecutors appear to be ceding responsibility to their US military counterparts . What is temporary protected status (TPS), and why is it under threat? People with TPS have permission to live and work in the US because the Department of Homeland Security deemed their home countries to be unsafe. The Trump administration has attempted to slash the program for various countries in its anti-immigrant crusade. Continue reading...