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Politics
Policy, power, and the news of the day.
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More than 100 dead after goldmine collapses in Central African Republic
The collapse was caused by a landslide, while local officials say the death toll is likely to rise as recovery efforts continue More than 100 people have died after an artisanal goldmine at a small village in western Central African Republic (CAR) caved in due to a landslide, local officials and aid workers said on Wednesday. The landslide happened on Tuesday afternoon in the village of Zamboye, about 50km (31 miles) from the town of Baboua and close to the border of Cameroon. Footage on social media appeared to show an avalanche of sand descend on a group of people, likely the miners, and cover them. Continue reading...
Three boys charged over alleged rape of teenage girl in Sydney home
The 17-year-olds were charged over an alleged attack in Sydney’s south-west on Saturday Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast Three teenage boys have been charged over the alleged rape of a 17-year-old girl at a home in Sydney’s south-west on Saturday. The three 17-year-old boys were arrested on Wednesday after the girl was allegedly attacked. Continue reading...
California becomes first US state to set efficiency rules for replacement tires
Regulations that would block sale of older tires praised by environmental groups amid rightwing backlash California has become the first state in the nation to mandate that replacement tires be energy efficient, a major auto industry regulation set to block the sale of older tires and make vehicles on the road greener. State regulators have said the new rules will reduce emissions and drivers’ fuel costs. But the rules – which come as the Trump administrations fights to block other California restrictions to promote greener cars – have already sparked a rightwing backlash, with one conservative news outlet calling the policies a “massive overreach”. Continue reading...
Young vapers ‘at risk of breathing problems and becoming smokers’
Review by paediatricians links child vaping with poor respiratory health such as coughing, wheezing and asthma Young people who start vaping risk developing breathing problems and going on to smoke cigarettes, children’s doctors have warned. Child vaping is consistently linked with poor respiratory health, such as coughing, wheezing, bronchitis symptoms and asthma exacerbations, while vapes have been shown to act as a gateway to smoking cigarettes, according to one of the most comprehensive reviews of the available evidence so far undertaken by the Royal College of Child and Paediatrics Health. Continue reading...
Prince Harry and Meghan ‘moving back to Britain this month’
Reports say Duke and Duchess of Sussex intend to relocate from US, with children to start British school in September The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are planning to return to live in Britain, six years after leaving for the US, it was reported. The couple and their two children, Prince Archie, seven, and Princess Lilibet, five, are expected to relocate later this month to a non-royal residence. Continue reading...
Mike Lindell offers to fund recount in Minnesota Republican primary for governor
MyPillow founder and Trump ally lost primary to Lisa Demuth by 11 points, but still refuses to concede defeat US politics live – latest updates The pillow salesman, Trump supporter and election denier Mike Lindell has offered to personally fund a recount and audit of every paper ballot cast in Minnesota’s Republican gubernatorial primary, which he lost last week. Lindell’s announcement on Wednesday escalates his bid to challenge the results of last week’s vote, after finishing a distant second to the Minnesota house speaker, Lisa Demuth. Continue reading...
Taxpayers to fund clear-up of illegal dumps in West Yorkshire, Surrey and Kent
Andy Burnham promises drive to tackle toxic waste, raise fines and use AI-powered drones to detect illegal activity Illegal dumps in West Yorkshire, Surrey and Kent will be cleared up using taxpayer money, Andy Burnham has announced, as the prime minister promises a new drive to tackle toxic waste. Ministers have identified dumps in Bradford, Runnymede and the Isle of Sheppey, which collectively contain about 22,000 tonnes of illegal waste, to be cleared in the next phase of the government’s national clear-up effort. Continue reading...
Australian politics live: Penny Wong says government ‘outraged’ and will call in Israel ambassador over IDF decision not to investigate Frankcom killing
Foreign affairs minister says timing of decision was ‘especially insulting’. Follow today’s news live Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast The government’s gambling reforms passed the Senate late last night after hours of debate, bringing in new restrictions to limit gambling advertising and a one-stop “opt-out register”. The debate began after 5pm and continued until 9pm when senators were forced to end discussions and vote on amendments from the opposition and crossbenchers. Ultimately, the government’s bill passed unamended after 9.30pm sealing it into law. I don’t see anything in the bill that really diminishes the rivers of gold that the corporates are earning, and sufficient restraints on their abilities to prey on the most vulnerable, particularly our children. I’ve listened to the charities who have to respond to the carnage caused by addiction. It’s their voices we should be acting on, not those that are making them money. The reforms that we have announced as part of this legislation [are] going to make a meaningful difference. I understand that it’s not in your political interest to acknowledge that, but it is something that we are determined to deliver on because we know that is going to make a difference for people, not only those who are at risk of harm, who may be suffering from harm, but also for young people at the same time. We’re surprised when we look closely at Roblox, that basic functionality, like not allowing adult predators or any adult to contact a child without explicit consent, was enabled … but if a predator has a roadmap for grooming that tells them that this child is 12, they go to a specific school and they like Taylor Swift , it’s not only on platform that we worry about either. Often this is the primary hunting ground where they identify the kids and then they move them to other platforms. Continue reading...
Penny Wong condemns ‘insulting’ decision to clear IDF over Gaza strikes that killed Australian aid worker Zomi Frankcom
Foreign minister says Australia is ‘outraged’ after Israeli government decided not to pursue criminal proceedings over 2024 triple drone strike on humanitarian convoy Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast Australia’s foreign minister has expressed “outrage” and will call in the Israel ambassador over the IDF decision overnight not to open a criminal investigation into Gaza strikes that killed Australian aid worker Zomi Frankcom. In a statement released on Thursday, Penny Wong called the timing of the decision, on World Humanitarian Day, “ especially insulting”. Australia’s ambassador to Israel has been directed to convey the government’s views directly. Continue reading...
US gross national debt tops $40tn for first time
Rising costs of social safety-net programs, military and Trump’s tax cuts strain federal government budgets The US gross national debt pile has topped $40tn for the first time, the treasury department said on Wednesday, in another troubling milestone in the wake of decades of borrowing to fund government spending. As the rising costs of social safety-net programs, the military and Donald Trump’s tax cuts strain US federal government budgets, the treasury’s daily cash and debt balances statement showed total public debt outstanding at $40.047tn on Tuesday – a disclosure likely to escalate fears of a brewing fiscal crisis. Continue reading...
Thousands of pounds of squid spilled on Rhode Island highway – video
The Rhode Island town of Narragansett was left with a very smelly cleanup over the weekend after thousands of squid spilled over the highway. The incident happened on Sunday morning when the driver of a tractor-trailer transporting the squid failed to make a turn and the vehicle fell on to its side, the town’s police department said in a statement. It created hours of delays for motorists and a foul stench More than 20 tons of squid spilled on to Rhode Island highway during traffic accident Continue reading...
Five Americans among seven killed in safari helicopter crash in Kenya
Officials say all seven people onboard killed, including Telemundo executive and Ecuador intelligence chief Seven people, including five Americans, were killed when a safari helicopter crashed on Wednesday morning in a remote part of northern Kenya, according to local police and the state department. Among the dead were an executive with Telemundo, the US-based Spanish-language network owned by NBC Universal, and the director of Ecuador’s national intelligence service. Continue reading...
Another democratic socialist victory – Angie Nixon in Florida – sends shock waves through party establishment
‘They call us extreme, they call us radical,’ the progressive candidate said. ‘But I think people see through that’ US politics live – latest updates It wasn’t supposed to be this way. In conservative Florida , Alex Vindman – a retired army intelligence officer who blew this whistle on Donald Trump in his first term – appeared set to carry the Democratic establishment banner as the party’s staged a long-shot bid to topple a Republican US senator. Continue reading...
London flat where boy fell to death could have had more safeguards, inquest told
Aalim Ahmed, five, fell from 15th-floor window at tower block family had asked to be moved out of, court hears An inquest into the death of a five-year-old boy who fell from a 15th-floor window has heard that more measures could have been taken to make it safer. Aalim Ahmed, who was autistic, died when he fell from a kitchen window at a residential block in Plaistow, east London. His father, Makail Ahmed, rushed from the top floor temporary social housing flat and discovered his body shortly before 6am on 16 May 2024. Continue reading...
Compulsory GCSE resits in England harm teenagers’ mental wellbeing, study finds
UCL researchers warn repeated exam attempts may dent students’ confidence and raise risk of dropping out Forcing teenagers who fail GCSEs into multiple resits has a negative impact on their mental health, according to research to be published as pupils receive their grades on Thursday. The study by academics at University College London (UCL) compared the mental wellbeing of students in England, Wales and Northern Ireland who failed to reach a grade 4 or equivalent in maths or English GCSEs – and found that only those in England, where resits are mandatory, showed significantly lower wellbeing. Continue reading...
What has Burnham promised since he became PM, and when will it happen?
From cutting household bills to cheaper bus fares, how will the measures announced be put into action? Since becoming prime minister, Andy Burnham has floated a number of policies, ideas and ambitions for his government, from shifting power out of Westminster, bringing services like transport under public control and addressing the rising cost of living. But many of his promises are not actually firm commitments, so what has he pledged, how much will it cost and when should the public expect to see change? Continue reading...
Can Andy Burnham tame the power of the Treasury to boost growth?
PM wants to reduce department’s stranglehold on public purse and bring long-term thinking to economic policy Andy Burnham is far from the first prime minister to dream of taming the power of the mighty Treasury. Boris Johnson all but forced the resignation of Sajid Javid by handpicking his team; Margaret Thatcher favoured her economic adviser Alan Walters over Nigel Lawson, prompting the latter’s furious resignation; Tony Blair and Gordon Brown’s power struggle was the stuff of Whitehall legend. Continue reading...
The Guardian view on the Ebola outbreak in the DRC: a case study in why international aid matters | Editorial
The Trump administration’s ‘America first’ approach has contributed to the scale of the crisis now unfolding in one of the world’s poorest countries For months health experts have warned that the scale of the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) could surpass the one that swept west Africa in 2014-16. This week, the authorities in the DRC announced that a grim milestone has already been passed: at least 2,325 people have died from the virus, making it the deadliest of the country’s 17 outbreaks and the fastest-growing in history. There is no effective vaccine against Bundibugyo – a rare strain of the virus that spread fatally undetected during the spring, often being misdiagnosed as malaria or typhoid. In contrast to neighbouring Uganda, which succeeded in eliminating an outbreak, multiple factors are combining to let the disease rip through the DRC. The worst-affected region is contested by armed groups, and a context of population displacement and chronic insecurity has made monitoring and surveillance more difficult. Ebola treatment centres have been attacked as a result of misinformation and community distrust. Continue reading...
Kim Jong-un’s sister casts doubt on Trump’s claims of secret US-North Korea talks
President says he plans to meet dictator this year but Kim Yo-jong says Washington remains Pyongyang’s enemy Donald Trump has said he is planning to meet North Korea’s Kim Jong-un later this year even as the reclusive leader’s younger sister cast doubt on their communications and dampened hopes for a diplomatic breakthrough between the two leaders. Trump, who also claimed North Korea had 57 nuclear weapons, had suggested he and Kim were holding secret negotiations on Tuesday after announcing the US would downgrade its participation in military exercises held by South Korea, a US ally. Asked whether Kim had responded to his request for a conversation, Trump said: “Yeah, he has.” Continue reading...
All power to the UK competition watchdog’s war on ‘drip pricing’
Regulator on message with prime minister’s planned purge of hidden fees and add-on charges Trainline, Virgin Atlantic and Red Driving School face investigation The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is on-message with Andy Burnham’s declaration of war on the small – and sometimes not-so-small – hassles and expenses of everyday consumer life created by companies’ underhand and misleading pricing tactics. Trainline, Virgin Atlantic and Red Driving School found themselves under investigation on Wednesday for various forms of alleged “drip pricing” – not being upfront about mandatory add-on charges, in other words. The prime minister had nothing to do with the CMA’s pursuit, it should be said. The watchdog’s “consumer protection drive” pre-dates his arrival and was encouraged by legislation under the last Tory government – the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act of 2024, which gave the regulator “direct enforcement” powers, meaning it no longer had to go to court under consumer protection laws. And it is using those powers: eight cases were opened last November and driving schools AA and BSM plus the ticketing site StubHub UK have already been fined . Continue reading...
Human remains again found at Lake Mead as water levels drop amid drought
Discovery marks latest grim finding in lake as water levels in crucial reservoir outside Las Vegas continue to decline Human remains have once again been discovered at Lake Mead outside Las Vegas, Nevada, marking the latest in a line of gruesome discoveries as water levels in the crucial reservoir continue to drop, authorities said. These remains were discovered on 16 August, USA Today reported . The National Park Service (NPS) told the outlet there did not appear to be anything suspicious about the body. Continue reading...
Otter spotted for first time in 100 years in New York City’s Bronx River
Image captured in early June shows animal foraging in the waterway in first since early 1900s, signaling its recovery An otter has been spotted in the Bronx River for the first time in more than 100 years, in a further sign that New York’s previously befouled waterways are recovering some of their ecological health. The North American river otter was photographed by a motion-activated camera foraging near some vegetation in the Bronx River, a waterway that flows through New York’s Bronx and empties into the East River. Continue reading...
Israel admits its soldiers fired at car in which Hind Rajab was killed
Military orders criminal investigation into the death of the five-year-old and six family members in Gaza in 2024 The Israeli military admitted on Wednesday its troops had opened fire on a car carrying five-year-old Hind Rajab and six family members in Gaza in 2024, saying it had ordered a criminal investigation into the killing. The death of Rajab and her family was one of the most high profile of a series of incidents involving civilian casualties during the first months of the Gaza conflict which prompted international outrage. Continue reading...
Volodymyr Zelenskyy sacks senior aide amid Ukraine corruption crisis
Pesidential deputy chief of staff Iryna Mudra dismissed day after former defence minister called for wartime election Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskyy has fired a senior aide amid a fresh corruption investigation – one day after a former defence minister warned the country was facing “a crisis of governance” and needed to hold a wartime presidential election . Iryna Mudra, a presidential deputy chief of staff, was dismissed by decree after multiple reports in Ukrainian media that her house was being searched by officials investigating an alleged money-laundering scheme. Continue reading...