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Politics
Policy, power, and the news of the day.
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Why is the Trump administration causing turmoil in the bond markets? | Richard Partington
As yields are dragged higher in the UK, Europe and Japan, the impact for consumers and businesses will be far-reaching Government borrowing costs around the world have surged to the highest levels in decades amid growing fears over US bond market turmoil. Anxiety about Donald Trump’s handling of the US economy, and concern that the US president’s war with Iran is driving up inflation, are causing a sell-off in the US bond market. Continue reading...
Why are Prince Harry and Meghan moving back to the UK? – The Latest
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are planning to return to live in Britain, six years after leaving for the US: a decision that was subject to intense media scrutiny. The couple and their two children are expected to relocate later in August to a non-royal residence. Nosheen Iqbal speaks to senior national editor Aaron Sharp – watch on YouTube Continue reading...
Specsavers pays £12m dividend to parent company as profits soar
Pre-tax profits rose at high street opticians to £429.7m in the year to February while sales increased 7% to £4.3bn Specsavers has paid £12m to its parent company controlled by founders Doug and Dame Mary Perkins after the high street opticians’ profits soared by more than a quarter. The group operates nearly 3,000 optometry, audiology and ophthalmology businesses globally in at least eight countries, including more than 900 in the UK, through hundreds of independent partners. Continue reading...
US man sentenced to 77 years for child sexual abuse tied to online extremist group
Kyle Spitze of Tennessee faced federal charges for targeting girls online as part of ‘764 network’ investigated by FBI A 27-year-old Tennessee man described by the US justice department as a “nihilistic violent extremist” was sentenced to 77 years in prison on Wednesday for his targeting of girls online as part of the 764 network , an online group the FBI calls a form of “modern-day terrorism”. Kyle Spitze of Friendsville received the federal sentence on Wednesday for “production of child sexual abuse material, abetting the distribution of animal crushing videos, and possessing and accessing with the intent to view”, the justice department said in a statement. Continue reading...
US deports 20 people to Liberia, the first of 1,200 migrants under Trump deal
Agreement is among largest third-country deportations driven by Trump administration’s immigration crackdown The United States sent 20 deportees to Liberia, who arrived on Thursday as part of 1,200 migrants that the African country will receive under a new deal. The deportees arrived at the Roberts international airport outside Monrovia. The Liberia-US agreement is among the largest third-country deportations driven by the Trump administration’s crackdown on immigration. Continue reading...
Ukrainian publishers call for support after Russian attacks destroy 10m books
The country risks ‘the collapse of the entire book ecosystem’ following destruction of warehouses in July and August, say Ukrainian publishers The Ukrainian Book Institute has called on the international publishing community to support Ukrainian publishers after Russian attacks in July and early August destroyed about 10m books and a significant share of the country’s book production capacity. The institute said the attacks on publishing, printing and warehouse infrastructure had left some companies at risk of financial collapse. A major attack on 1 August hit warehouses belonging to the RNK-Ranok publishing group in Kharkiv, destroying approximately 8m books, following July attacks in Kyiv which led to the loss of more than 1.5m books. In all, the recent attacks have led to the destruction of approximately 30% of the volume of books produced annually in Ukraine. Continue reading...
US Open singles champions will take home record $5.5m as prize money jumps by 20%
Total prize pool for tournament will be $108m Players guaranteed $140,000 for making first round The US Open singles champions will earn $5.5m, the highest winnings in grand slam tennis history. Overall compensation for the tournament is rising to a record $108m, a 20% increase from last year and a 44% jump since 2024. The financial details were announced on Thursday by the US Tennis Association, with play set to begin next week. Continue reading...
‘Starve the beast’? The $40tn cost of Republicans’ false promises to cut spending
The enormous US debt under Trump will hobble the next Democratic administration – just as the GOP planned You could pin the US’s staggering $40tn in government debt to Donald Trump’s Keystone Cops-style governance. Tariffs he sold as a new source of revenue were struck down by the supreme court, forcing the government to return tens of billions of dollars to importers. Elon Musk’s “department of government efficiency” (Doge), ostensibly created to stop wasteful government spending, decimated federal programs and likely killed millions of children , but did nothing to close the budget deficit. The burst of inflation following Trump’s misguided adventure in Iran sharply raised the cost of serving the government’s obligations. Yet as the federal debt hits an all-time high, up from about $35tn when Trump took office less than two years ago, it is worth noting that the US’s gargantuan indebtedness is in fact the product of a longstanding Republican strategy that took shape well before Trump could even dream about gold-plating the White House. It was called “starve the beast”. Continue reading...
Stars and Stripes publisher could be fired before planned retirement, sources say
Max Lederer, longtime head of the US military news outlet, says his ‘philosophy of leadership’ differs from defense’s The long-serving publisher of the Stars and Stripes could face an early dismissal just days after the taxpayer-funded military news outlet’s reporting revealed deteriorating conditions aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier, according to a news report. Pentagon officials have discussed firing Max Lederer ahead of his scheduled retirement next month, according to CBS News , which quoted anonymous sources. Lederer, the publisher of the military daily for 19 years, had previously cited fundamental differences with the Trump administration for his decision to retire soon. Continue reading...
Sydney air traffic controllers have ‘grave concerns’ about collision risk after airspace redesign
Exclusive: Federal government notified after whistleblower says controllers have ‘minimal confidence in their ability to handle’ rule changes related to second airport Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast Air traffic controllers at Sydney airport have warned federal safety regulators they have “grave concerns” about changes to airspace rules introduced last month, likening the situation to the months leading up to a crash in Washington DC in which 67 people died. Guardian Australia can reveal the federal government was notified on Thursday of a confidential complaint considered by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB), in which an experienced air traffic controller warned in June that changes related to the new Western Sydney International airport had been rushed, with “inadequate training for controllers, of all experience levels”. Continue reading...
‘Rival courts’: Prince Harry’s surprise UK return may provoke royal spot of bother
Family relationships remain damaged and there is no clarity on how Sussexes’ security concerns have been resolved Just as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s departure from the UK six years ago came as a complete surprise, so too is their shock announcement they now intend to return. Their unilateral decision could fairly be said to have blind-sided the royals. King Charles was only informed on Sunday and is said not to have been involved in the decision making. No mention was made when Harry, Meghan and their two children visited Charles at his private home at Highgrove last month. Continue reading...
Lewes rail line to reopen in September as work under way to remove train
Derailed carriages lifted using two cranes as workers operate under ‘very challenging circumstances’ Business live – latest updates The East Sussex railway line on which a train derailed will reopen in September as crews continue to remove the carriages that left the track. Rail bosses said they were prioritising reopening the route before the end of the school holidays, despite recovery workers operating under “very challenging circumstances”. Continue reading...
Piracy fears prompt calls for ban on Meta smart glasses in UK cinemas
Trade body says local chains would have to balance concerns with potential benefits provided by AI-enabled technology Cinemas across the UK are considering banning customers from wearing Meta’s smart glasses, amid fears they could be used to pirate films. The UK Cinema Association (UKCA) trade body said that a number of local chains could end up introducing policies that restrict camera-enabled smart glasses at the big screen, adding to a growing list of venues concerned about covert use. Continue reading...
Trump plan to allow drilling near US world heritage site sparks alarm
Administration’s plan to scrap drilling-free buffer zone around New Mexico site prompts scrutiny from Unesco The Trump administration’s push to expand oil and gas extraction across the US is set to bring drilling near cherished natural and cultural sites, raising alarm among conservationists and prompting questions from the UN’s heritage body. Unesco said it has received information on the administration’s plan to scrap a drilling-free buffer zone around Chaco Culture national historical park in New Mexico, a world heritage site and one of the most important cultural areas in the US. A Unesco spokesperson said it has procedures regarding “potential threats” to a world heritage property and was awaiting a response from the federal government as to its impact. Continue reading...
‘It kept adding up’: how add-on utility fees can lead to eviction for tenants
Tenants can be evicted for not paying utilities even if they have paid rent – tenants and their allies are fighting back This story was supported and co-published by the journalism non-profit the Economic Hardship Reporting Project In 2024, Constance Soule got a surprise from her landlord: a “notice of termination” that gave her 10 days to move out of her apartment. Soule, a disabled Alzheimer’s patient with a housing voucher, had paid her rent at a Larkspur, California complex managed by Greystar, the country’s largest apartment manager. But she was about to be evicted from her home across from the Golden Gate Bridge solely over utility charges, court documents show. Continue reading...
‘I worry about our daughters’: Bridget Phillipson on online misogyny – podcast
Racism and misogyny are becoming normalised as a result of rightwing politics and the ‘cesspit’ of social media, says Labour’s Bridget Phillipson. In an extended interview, the minister for women and equalities and new party chair sits down with Kiran Stacey to talk about her fears for British society, the climate crisis, what Burnham is really doing differently from Starmer, and whether her party can beat Reform Please keep sending your comments and questions to politicsweeklyuk@theguardian.com . Please follow and subscribe to the Politics Weekly YouTube channel here Continue reading...
Racism and sexism have become normalised in Britain, says equalities minister
Exclusive: Bridget Phillipson says politicians have helped fuel hatred and that police are not taking violence against women and girls seriously enough UK politics live – latest updates Racism and sexism have become normalised in Britain, the equalities minister has said, as she warned that young men were being sucked into violent misogyny by the “cesspit” of social media. Bridget Phillipson said she was increasingly worried about how commonplace misogyny and racism had become, fuelled by online interactions and statements by politicians she said would not have been acceptable a few years ago. Continue reading...
This California town booted out its leaders – what happens if they refuse to leave?
Avenal has been rocked by the council’s refusal to accept the results of a recall election – and the repercussions extend far beyond the Central Valley From the outside, the city of Avenal appears to embody every bit of its motto – an “oasis in the sun”. Approaching the community, passing through the dusty yellow hillsides of the Central Valley, Avenal emerges with a sudden burst of green on the horizon. Its small-town feel and quiet tree-lined streets offer respite from the bustling Interstate 5 some five miles away. But trouble is brewing here that has brought this lonesome city national attention. Continue reading...
Their cities dropped Flock surveillance cameras. They’re still being watched
Despite policy victories over Flock, Americans are finding themselves under similar monitoring by a new company – or unable to remove the original cameras Activists in Colorado thought they would be celebrating a victory against mass surveillance in December when the Longmont city council decided to let a contract with Flock Safety lapse. But that excitement was cut short only months later when lawmakers voted to approve a new vendor to install automated license plate readers (ALPRs) on the city’s streets. Continue reading...
Tice defends suspension of Reform UK activist over Farage criticism
Party’s deputy leader makes comments as he unveils new policy to subsidise more apprenticeships UK politics live – latest updates Reform UK’s deputy leader has defended the party’s suspension of a senior activist who criticised Nigel Farage, saying internal disagreements should be kept “behind closed doors”. Richard Tice, who is also the party’s business spokesperson, made the comments as he unveiled a new policy of subsidising more apprenticeships, paid for by cutting student loans for foreign nationals and those studying what he termed “Mickey Mouse” degrees. Continue reading...
Boohoo fined €2.3m by French watchdog over deceptive discounts
Fashion site also broke rules on labelling by using terms ‘leather’ or ‘suede’ for synthetic products The British online fashion seller Boohoo has been fined €2.3m (£2m) by France’s consumer watchdog for deceptive practices such as offering fake discounts. The Manchester-based firm, whose parent company renamed itself Debenhams Group last year, was found to have exaggerated the discounts it was offering, giving shoppers a false impression of the savings they were making, according to the directorate-general for competition, consumer affairs and fraud control. Continue reading...
Israel’s Ben-Gvir posts video of gallows site for hanging Palestinians
Far-right minister says those convicted in military courts of terror offences will be executed after passing of death penalty law that does not apply to Israelis Israel’s far-right national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, who has attracted international sanctions and condemnation for his activities, has posted a gloating video of the construction of the site of a gallows where Palestinians convicted of terror offences, but not Jewish extremists accused of similar crimes, will be hanged. Ben-Givr said the new execution site would be equipped with viewing booths where families of victims could watch the hangings. Continue reading...
Harry and Meghan’s security funding on UK return is private matter, Burnham says
Prime minister wishes couple well in their move back from the US to a non-royal residence outside London • Harry and Meghan: key moments and controversies since US move Security funding for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex when they return to live in the UK this month is a “private matter”, Andy Burnham has said. News of Harry and Meghan’s planned return to Britain from the US came as a surprise to many on Wednesday night; King Charles was only informed three days earlier. Continue reading...
‘You have got to go’: former NSW minister tells Icac ‘something strange at play’ when she was sacked by Perrottet
Eleni Petinos tells inquiry her sacking as a minister in Dominic Perrottet’s government was potentially motivated by her reluctance to get rid of the building commissioner Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast The former New South Wales fair trading minister Eleni Petinos has given evidence at a corruption inquiry that she may have been used by fellow Liberals to try to get rid of the building commissioner David Chandler, recounting numerous attempts in 2022 to persuade her he was “dodgy” and should be sacked. She has also told the Independent Commission Against Corruption (Icac) inquiry that her subsequent sacking as a minister in the Dominic Perrottet government in July 2022 – allegedly for bullying staff – was unfair and potentially motivated by her reluctance to sack the building commissioner. Continue reading...