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Politics
Policy, power, and the news of the day.
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UK ministers explore raising price of water for some users amid shortages
Environment Agency says talks under way about increasing prices for industrial users to try to reduce poor water management Ministers are exploring making water more expensive for some users, in the face of severe supply shortages. Despite the UK being a famously wet country, the precarious nature of the water supply has been made particularly acute this summer, with almost three-quarters of England and all of Wales in drought and 27 million people facing restrictions on their water use. Continue reading...
We have started losing control of AI. It’s time to shut it down | Garrison Lovely
What sounds like the overwrought penultimate episode in a sci-fi series about AI doom is now our reality On Tuesday, a former OpenAI researcher quit his job at Anthropic, warning that “neither company is acting responsibly” and that “the people building AI earnestly believe that it could kill us all by the end of the decade. This is not a marketing stunt.” As someone who’s reported on AI risk for years, this wasn’t news to me. But the outpouring of alarm suggests a much wider public is properly confronting this ludicrous situation for the first time. Continue reading...
Chemical industry backed laws in three US states to restrict use of air pollution data
As public air monitors disappear, federal rollbacks and state laws are making it harder than ever to know what’s in the air As the US’s network for monitoring air pollution deteriorates, a Floodlight investigation has found that the chemical industry is going state-to-state to restrict one of the few options citizens have left for holding polluters accountable: low-cost air sensors. Over the past two years, the non-profit investigative newsroom determined , lawmakers in Louisiana, Kentucky and Ohio have passed strikingly similar laws barring regulators from acting on air-quality data that communities collect themselves – unless it comes from Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-approved equipment that typically costs tens of thousands of dollars. Similar legislation has repeatedly been introduced in West Virginia. Continue reading...
‘Our forefathers are coming back’: Naga people celebrate after Oxford museum agrees to return remains
Following six years of talks, Pitt Rivers Museum will return body parts collected by British colonial administrators to north-east India Anthropologists and community leaders from Nagaland, a remote state in north-eastern India bordering Myanmar, have expressed joy and relief that human remains belonging to their ancestors that had been on display in a British museum for nearly a century are finally being returned. On Monday, the Pitt Rivers Museum in Oxford announced that 39 pieces of human remains – including parts of skulls, a finger and a piece of skin with hair – belonging to the Naga tribes, will be returned to Nagaland after six years of negotiation between the community and the museum. Continue reading...
Trump makes highly unusual promise of $5,000 for all if Republicans win midterms | First Thing
Speaking in Dallas, the president raised ethical concerns with an apparent $1tn offer to the electorate. Plus the US citizens who are finding moving to Scotland to be an irresistible lure Good morning. Donald Trump has pledged to pay every adult citizen in the US $5,000 if Republicans retain the House and Senate in the midterm elections. The outlandish proposal, which would cost over $1tn, immediately raised ethical concerns. Trump made the promise during a marathon speech at the Republican midterm convention in Dallas in which he assailed Democrats as “radical”, defended his unpopular war in Iran, and urged voters to “pretend that I’m on the ballot”. Trump claimed, without evidence, that his second term had been “the most successful two years, financially and every other way, in the history of the presidency”. Why did the Republicans hold a mid term convention? Republicans are gambling that the GOP’s first midterm convention can salvage their threatened House majority. However, Donald Trump’s dismal approval rating drove many competitive candidates to skip the two-day event entirely. What has Trump said about the former attorney Michael Cohen? The US president has said he would consider pardoning Michael Cohen , the former fixer whom he once branded a “rat” for testifying against him. Cohen was Trump’s personal lawyer, but flipped in 2018, and pleaded guilty to federal crimes including facilitating a hush payment to the pornography star Stormy Daniels and lying under oath to Congress. How many people has the US killed in its campaign? Late Wednesday, US Southern Command announced the latest strike in the Caribbean Sea, saying it killed three people. That brought the number of people who have been killed in boat strikes by the US military to at least 230 in 69 strikes. What has the US announced about Ecuador’s gangs? The US has designated Ecuador’s Los Tiguerones gang as a terrorist organisation. Rubio said the gang was linked to narcotics trafficking, as well as attacks on civilians, law enforcement officers and journalists. “We are talking about terrorists who, in many cases, possess weapons and equipment resembling the national armies of certain countries,” he said. Continue reading...
RNLI steps up security after attacks by far-right agitators over small boat rescues
Volunteers told to consider not wearing branded clothing and to shut lifeboat stations if they feel in danger Police working to protect RNLI in Dorset amid opposition to small boat rescues The RNLI is stepping up security after a backlash from far-right agitators over the lifeboat charity’s involvement in rescuing asylum seekers in the Channel and landing them on UK shores. Volunteers have been told by the charity’s bosses that they should consider not wearing RNLI branded clothing if they feel this might put them at risk. Continue reading...
Vance appears to walk back Trump’s offer of $5,000 ‘dividend’ if Republicans win midterms – US politics live
Vice-president suggests payment would not go to all and would be paid for by tariff revenues despite supreme court rulings against much of Trump’s program US citizens will receive $5,000 if Republicans win midterms, Trump claims Sign up for the US Breaking News email Hello and welcome to the US politics live blog. Vice-president JD Vance appeared to partially row back on Donald Trump’s outlandish claims that every adult citizen in the US would receive $5,000 if the Republicans retain the House and Senate in the midterm elections. In a nearly two-hour speech, Donald Trump capped off his first night remarks at the GOP midterm convention by pleading with Republicans to “ pretend that I’m running”. The president centered himself in the battle to control Congress, and acknowledged that candidates are more successful when he is on the ballot. He offered an ominous outlook if Republicans fail to retain power. Throughout his remarks, Trump also tried to campaign on behalf of Republicans in competitive midterm races. While he made fun of Ken Paxton’s clothing choices and the way he speaks, he praised the Republican nominee for US Senate in Texas as “the single greatest attorney general” in the state’s history, while also branding his opponent James Talarico as a “disaster”. Earlier, Democratic senator John Fetterman made a surprise virtual appearance at the Republican midterm convention, delivering a video address supporting Dave McCormick, a Republican senator in Pennsylvania . Fetterman, who has increasingly broken with his party since his election in 2022, said in the video that he would always reject “extremes and socialism”, repeating an oft-used Republican critique of the Democratic party’s increasingly popular left wing. Meanwhile, several Republicans who are facing tough races have chosen not to attend the convention in Dallas. This include Susan Collins, the five-term incumbent senator from Maine, and Dan Sullivan – the Republican senator from Alaska who is facing a tough contest against former Democratic congresswoman Mary Peltola. Continue reading...
Twenty-five years after 9/11, the daughter of a hero remembers the mother she lost
Anna Sweeney Rossman was 5 when her mother, flight attendant Amy Sweeney, was killed aboard American Airlines flight 11 after helping authorities identify the hijackers Anna Sweeney Rossman was only 5 years old when her mother, flight attendant Madeline “Amy” Sweeney, died aboard an airliner that terrorists hijacked and deliberately flew into the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001 . And for years, she said in an interview on Wednesday, Rossman’s grief primarily centered on her mother’s absence from certain milestones in her life. She recalled how planning her 2023 wedding – particularly shopping for a dress – hit her especially hard without her mom there. And Rossman said it was as much a blow to not have her mom there for the birth of her daughters, each younger than 2, as the US prepared to mark the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks on Friday. Continue reading...
Trump’s comments on the Falkland Islands reflect a fractured US-UK relationship
President suggested US might not help UK if Argentina tried to seize Falklands – a new low for UK-US ‘special relationship’ Last week, Donald Trump suggested in an interview with the British TV channel GB News that he might not help the UK if Argentina tried again to seize the Falkland Islands . It was a new low for UK-US relations. The “special relationship” (Winston Churchill’s phrase) was never perfect, but the UK helped the US on countless occasions, from Korea to Iraq to Afghanistan. The US often stood by the UK as well – although not during the Suez Crisis of 1956, but Ronald Reagan’s government provided significant intelligence and logistics support to Britain during the dust-up over the Falklands in 1982. That relationship is fading fast. Continue reading...
Trouble in US bond market could mean higher prices are here to stay
Concerns over rising inflation, continuing war with Iran, and the US’s record national debt have shaken the market Americans who have been grappling with the higher cost of living over the last few years now face another issue: trouble in the US bond market that could mean elevated costs are here to stay. US government bonds – known as treasurys – are supposed to be the most stable type of investment vehicle. But investor concerns over issues including rising inflation, the continuing war with Iran, and the US’s record national debt have shaken the market and slowed demand for US treasury bonds. Continue reading...
Trump: we will pay every US citizen $5,000 if Republicans win midterms – video
Donald Trump pledged to pay every adult citizen in the US a $5,000 dividend if the Republicans retain the House and Senate in the midterms, during a rambling speech at the party's midterm convention in Dallas. The US president claimed it was possible due to the 'tremendous economic success, like in history we've anything like what's happening'. The proposal would cost over $1tn and immediately raised ethical concerns US citizens will receive $5,000 if Republicans win midterms, Trump claims in lengthy convention speech Continue reading...
Iceland to become first UK high street retailer to open shop in Falkland Islands
Boss Richard Walker is ‘proud to be backing Britain’ with a store in the capital, Stanley Business live – latest updates The supermarket chain Iceland has said it will open a shop on the Falkland Islands in early December. The shop, to be launched in partnership with a local retailer, Kelper Stores, will be the first UK high street brand to have a presence in the British territory and will be in the capital, Stanley. Continue reading...
Trump’s repeated threats to ‘wipe out’ Iran are normalizing mass violence | Mohamad Bazzi
The president’s latest warning barely registered, written off as typical behavior. But the threats have real-world consequences As the US and Iran fought around the strait of Hormuz last week, Donald Trump issued one of his typical threats. In an interview with a Fox News correspondent, Trump said Iran would be “totally wiped out as a country” if it retaliated for the latest wave of US air strikes. That threat by the US president to wipe out another country generated few headlines , even during a relatively slow news week by Trump administration standards. Continue reading...
‘The Jackie Robinson of golf’: the forgotten story of Black pioneer Ted Rhodes
The man mentioned by Tiger Woods after his first Masters win paved the way for generations of Black golfers, reintegrating the US Open and challenging the PGA How good a golfer was Ted Rhodes? At the 1948 US Open, he finished the first round just three shots behind the leader – and eventual winner – Ben Hogan. But there’s more to the story: Rhodes was the first Black competitor in the tournament in its modern era, during a time of widespread segregation in American sport. Rhodes is the subject of a new book by sports historian Dan Taylor, Out of the Rough: Ted Rhodes and His Fight against Golf’s Color Barrier. The author aims to change what he sees as mainstream unfamiliarity with Rhodes, even among golf enthusiasts. Continue reading...
Grace Tame apologises for comments labelling rape of Israeli women during Hamas attacks ‘propaganda’
The former Australian of the Year said she stood with survivors of sexual violence ‘everywhere’ and ‘no matter who they are’ Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast Grace Tame has apologised for her comments labelling the rape of Israeli women by Hamas during the 7 October attacks as “propaganda” and “debunked”, saying her words were “misinterpreted”. The former Australian of the Year issued the apology in an Instagram video on Thursday. The comments were made in an ABC interview about Israel and Gaza in March. Continue reading...
Tourists in England face nightly levy on hotel and Airbnb stays under new plans
Labelled a tourist tax, proposals would give mayors power to decide how revenue raised should be invested UK politics live – latest updates Holidaymakers will face a nightly levy on hotel stays and Airbnb-style visits in England under plans ministers are due to outline to give mayors new powers. The idea, labelled a tourist tax, was first raised by Keir Starmer’s government in November and is similar to a scheme running in Scotland. It would allow mayors to charge a fee to visitors staying overnight and decide how the revenue raised should be invested. Continue reading...
Russian drones kill at least nine in strikes targeting warehouses and ports in Ukraine – Europe live
The strikes come after it was revealed that Ukraine’s president Volodomyr Zelenskyy’s plane was almost hit by a drone when leaving Moldova this week Meanwhile, Reuters reported that Nato allies interrupted a Russian plot training to unleash a secret weapon designed to disable critical undersea cables without leaving any fingerprints. Two 1,400 km subsea fiber-optic cables linking Svalbard to mainland Norway lie as deep as 2,700 metres below the sea’s surface. They carry vast amounts of satellite data downloaded at the SvalSat satellite ground station, the world’s largest and part of NASA’s Near Space Network. Continue reading...
Tens of millions of people fail to get humanitarian aid as global system crumbles
Funding cuts in 2025 left women, children, older and displaced people hard hit, with 64m fewer people receiving aid The humanitarian aid system is crumbling as funding shrinks, pressures increase and governments not only fail to protect civilians but are increasingly responsible for endangering them, a new report warned on Thursday as figures revealed 64 million fewer people received aid last year. With aid contributions cut by 30% between 2022 and 2025 and thousands of aid workers losing their jobs, the humanitarian system has suffered one of its biggest contractions since being formed in the post-second world war era, according to the State of the Humanitarian System 2026 report. Continue reading...
Climate ‘feedback loops’ could worsen global warming by 30%, study finds
Emissions of planet-heating methane and CO2 from natural sources are worsening the climate crisis, paper says Rising global temperatures caused by the burning of fossil fuels are transforming the world’s forests, wetlands and tundra to the point they are releasing emissions that could further worsen global heating by as much as 30%, a new study has found. As the world heats up, permafrost in the high latitudes is thawing, fiercer wildfires are burning in drying forests and wetlands and lakes are warming. All of these changes are themselves causing the release of planet-heating methane and carbon dioxide locked in trees and soils, therefore worsening the climate crisis, the paper states. Continue reading...
Hospitality industry fears jobs at risk from plan to give mayors powers to impose ‘tourist tax’
The sector is concerned by reports that there won’t be a cap on the levy that can be imposed by mayors Good morning. Last year Andy Burnham, who was then mayor of Greater Manchester, and his close friend and ally Steve Rotheram, mayor of the Liverpool city region, were urging the government to allow mayors in England to bring in what they called a visitor levy. Burnham and Rotheram were pushing at an open door. In May this year Keir Starmer included plans for an overnight visitor levy bill in the king’s speech. Continue reading...
Primark to offer home delivery as it prepares to split from owner ABF
Clothing chain says trading in Europe ‘challenging’ but customers are responding well to its price-cutting campaign Primark will offer home delivery in Britain for the first time, as the fast-fashion retailer prepares to spin off from its owner Associated British Foods (ABF). The clothing chain, which already offers a click and collect service in the UK, has long avoided home delivery, arguing that its low prices made it too difficult to absorb the cost of packing and shipping orders. Continue reading...
John Lewis losses widen to £124m as shopper confidence dips
Retailer says higher costs also hit first-half figures as group pursues its turnaround plan, though Waitrose grew sales Losses at the owner of John Lewis and Waitrose widened by more than 40% in the first half of the year as it struggled with higher costs and with shoppers feeling less confident about their money. The John Lewis Partnership, which operates 36 department stores and more than 300 Waitrose supermarkets, said its pre-tax loss for the six months to 1 August climbed to £124m, compared with £88m in the same period in 2025. Continue reading...
Sydney man jailed for 3.5 years over fake defence reports prepared for Chinese spies
Alexander Csergo sentenced over reckless foreign interference after preparing documents for duo who approached him on LinkedIn Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast A seemingly innocuous message on a social media platform has snowballed into a Sydney man being jailed for foreign interference. Alexander Csergo, 58, was jailed for three years and six months on Thursday, after being found guilty by a jury in March of helping Chinese spies. Continue reading...
Labor friends of Palestine criticise Australia’s decision not to join sanctions on Israeli settlements in West Bank
Australia declined to join move by UK, Canada and France in banning trade with illegal Israeli settlements Labor party members have criticised the federal government for not following the UK, Canada and France in banning trade with Israeli settlements in the West Bank, urging Penny Wong to mount a stronger response to violence against Palestinians. The Labor Friends of Palestine group wrote to the foreign minister on Wednesday, calling for Australia to join a coordinated approach with allies and partners overseas, in line with changes to the party’s national platform agreed in July. Continue reading...