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Politics
Policy, power, and the news of the day.
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UK warehouse landlord Segro rejects £12.6bn takeover offer from US rival
FTSE 100 firm says Prologis all-share proposal turned down as it falls long way short of its own views on value The UK warehouse landlord Segro is at the centre of the latest transatlantic takeover battle after rejecting a £12.6bn takeover approach from the US rival Prologis. Prologis has gone public with its offer for the FTSE 100 company after it was “unequivocally rejected” by Segro’s board on Tuesday despite valuing the company at almost 25% more than its market value at that day’s close. Continue reading...
‘Extremely overwhelmed’: apartment renters face rising tide of fees
Guardian investigation: Renters at apartment buildings operated by industry giant Greystar complain they’re deluged by ‘unfair’ and ‘inflated’ fees. The company denies these claims Tenants at apartment complexes operated by Greystar, the largest owner and manager of apartments in the US, don’t just pay rent. They pay a mass of fees that many renters have never heard of before. These add-ons include “boiler management fees”, “variable refrigerant flow fees”, “solar rebill” fees, even “lifestyle fees”. Continue reading...
Is the world about to be overrun by trans mice? Not if congresswoman Nancy Mace has anything to do with it | Arwa Mahdawi
Mace’s TRANS MICE Act is designed to end ‘radical transgender-related experiments on animals’. But is this all a stupid misunderstanding? First they came for your children. As Donald Trump has claimed without evidence (because facts are woke), US schoolkids have been getting gender-reassignment surgery in between classes. “Can you imagine you’re a parent and … you say, ‘Jimmy, I love you so much. Go have a good day in school,’ and your son comes back with a brutal operation,” Trump said during a rally in 2024 . “What the hell is wrong with our country?” Now it seems the woke brigade has come for poor little mice. According to Republican congresswoman Nancy Mace, who once called herself “Trump in high heels”, American taxpayers are funding transgender rodents. Last week Mace, who is leaving politics next year after coming last in her state’s Republican primary for governor, promoted a new bill called the TRANS MICE Act , designed to “put an end to the use of taxpayer dollars for radical transgender-related experiments on animals”. Continue reading...
What are Trump’s connections to the Tate brothers exactly? | Rebecca Solnit
According to Heidi Blake in the New Yorker, the Tate and Trump circles have overlapped at Mar-a-Lago. What does that mean? Donald Trump has told many stories and denied many others about his ties to Jeffrey Epstein. But those questions center on Epstein’s actions and crimes, which Trump says he denounces and wasn’t a part of . The White House has moved heaven, earth, the truth and much else to protect Trump from what the Epstein files might tell us about him. But there is a larger question about what Trump makes of Epstein’s values. Does he reject them, or does he endorse and embrace them? Looking to his administration’s ties to Andrew Tate may be instructive. According to Heidi Blake’s thorough investigation of Tate in the New Yorker earlier this month, the Trump administration intervened last year to buffer Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan from the consequences of their criminal charges in Romania. The Tate and Trump circles, she also reports, have overlapped at Mar-a-Lago. Continue reading...
Louisiana man becomes first in state functionally cured of sickle cell disease
Daniel Cressy, 23, says path leading to completion of curative gene therapy is his ‘greatest blessing’ A young south-eastern Louisiana man recently became the first person in his region to be functionally cured of sickle cell disease, clearing the way for him to continue pursuing his dream of a career as a commercial pilot, according to his medical team. Daniel Cressy’s successful completion of curative gene therapy at Manning Family Children’s hospital in New Orleans on Monday generated a measure of optimism within his state, which produces more cases of sickle cell disease per capita than any other in the US, according to the medical center . Continue reading...
If an AI chatbot misleads you, who is to blame? | Bruce Schneier and Nathan E Sanders
A court in Germany found that Google was responsible for what its chatbots say in search summaries. This is the accountability we need Earlier this month, a German court ruled that Google is liable for its AI search summaries. Rejecting defenses like “users can check for themselves”, and that they generally know “that information generated with AI should not be blindly trusted”, the court held that the AI’s summaries are reflections of the company and “above all an expression of Google’s business activities”. This is the latest skirmish in a decades-old battle over internet publishing. Historically, there were two different types of information distributors: carriers and publishers. A phone company is a carrier. It’ll transmit whatever you say, even discussions about committing a crime. Words are words, and the phone company does not know – nor is it liable for – the words you choose to speak. A newspaper, on the other hand, is a publisher. It decides the words it publishes, and what quotes to include in its articles. If those words or quotes are defamatory or otherwise illegal, it’s liable. Continue reading...
Misan Harriman to step down as chair of Southbank Centre
Harriman, accused by Telegraph of sharing conspiracy after Golders Green attack, says he had decided ‘way before this madness’ to stand down Misan Harriman will not seek another term as chair of the Southbank Centre and is to step down in autumn after a month of intense pressure caused by accusations he shared a conspiracy about the Golders Green attack. Harriman, who has held the position since 2021 , confirmed in a social media post that he would not continue as chair beyond autumn. Continue reading...
Western Australian police to review response to Virginia Giuffre domestic violence dispute
Police will investigate how they interacted with Giuffre, one of Jeffrey Epstein’s most prominent victims, after her family requested the review Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast Police in Western Australia have agreed to review how they interacted with Virginia Giuffre, one of the most prominent victims of the disgraced US financier Jeffrey Epstein , in the lead-up to her death a year ago by suicide. Giuffre’s brother and sister-in-law, Sky and Amanda Roberts, told ABC radio on Wednesday morning that they had written to both the state coroner and the police requesting an investigation into how police handled a domestic violence dispute she was involved in before she took her life on her WA farm last April at age 41. Continue reading...
Nearly a quarter of voters in Europe now back far-right parties
Analysis by more than 150 political scientists finds proportion who back such parties has increased nearly fivefold since 1995 Almost one in four voters in Europe now cast their ballot for far-right parties, research shows, a proportion that has grown nearly fivefold since the mid-1990s and climbed particularly steeply over the past three years. Analysis by more than 150 political scientists in 31 countries found the proportion of Europeans voting for a far-right party in their country’s most recent national elections had risen to more than 23%, from about 10% a decade ago and roughly 5% in 1995. Continue reading...
Darren Jones says bond markets should be ‘content’ with Burnham’s economic plans – UK politics live
Chief secretary to PM rules out leadership bid as he says he has received reassurances from Burnham Good morning. There are very few upsides for Keir Starmer for his current situation, but one of them is that soon he will no longer have to worry about taking PMQs. In his memoir, Tony Blair described PMQs as “the most nerve-racking, discombobulating, nail-biting, bowel-moving, terror-inspiring, courage draining experience in my prime ministerial life, without question”. Today’s could be Starmer’s third last. Including today, there are four Wednesdays between now and Friday 17 July, when Andy Burnham is due to become PMQs, but one of them coincides with the Nato summit, and Starmer should be away for that. While we will hear from Starmer at PMQs, interest in what he has to say may be limited. Power is like water on a surface with a slope; it very quickly heads in one direction and, despite only being sworn in as an MP on Monday afternoon, Andy Burnham is already the most powerful figure in Westminster, and most of the political class is focused on what sort of administration he might lead. There have been three developments overnight. It has emerged that Burnham will appoint James Purnell, who served in cabinet with him under Gordon Brown, as his chief of staff. Here is our story, by Kiran Stacey and Jessica Elgot . Darren Jones, the chief secretary to the PM, has announced that he will not stand as a leadership candidate against Burnham. He had been refusing to rule this out, and some Starmer loyalists were urging him to run. Ben Quinn has the story. Continue reading...
Former Liberal vice president Teena McQueen dies after severe sickness just weeks after defecting to One Nation
McQueen was a long-serving member of the Liberal party before defecting to One Nation in May Former Liberal heavyweight Teena McQueen is being remembered for her contribution to the party despite her defection to One Nation. McQueen, who served as the federal Liberal Party vice president from 2017 to 2023, died on Wednesday after battling severe sickness. Continue reading...
Heatwave pushes Great Britain’s grid operator to call for extra electricity from power plants
Neso issues rare summer warning for Wednesday evening, as households turn on fans and air conditioning Great Britain’s grid operator has released a rare summer power supply warning for Wednesday evening as the heatwave is expected to get more intense , putting pressure on the energy system. The National Energy System Operator (Neso) issued an electricity margin notice late on Tuesday, asking power plant owners to provide any extra electricity, as the buffer between supply and expected demand comes under pressure. Continue reading...
US Soccer spent decades searching for coherence. It found something better
For years the United States sought a single soccer identity. Instead, its best team emerged from a patchwork of backgrounds, cultures and development paths In 1993, the United States Soccer Federation handed a contract to Rinus Michels. But the Dutch godfather of Total Football, operationalized through his on-field avatar Johan Cruyff, was not hired to coach the national team, or to coach anybody, really. By this time, Michels, who managed the Los Angeles Aztecs of the North American Soccer League in 1979 and 1980, had already turned down the chance to manage the US men’s national team twice. Once, in 1983, when it would be entered, disastrously, into the NASL as Team America. And once more in 1991, when Bora Milutinović was appointed instead. Continue reading...
‘Glorious time to be a New Yorker’ as Lander’s win highlights Mamdani effect
Progressive supporters of mayor celebrate as former city comptroller’s critical approach to Israel helps defeat incumbent congressman Dan Goldman in primary The polls closed at 9pm in New York on Tuesday. It took less than five minutes for Brad Lander, the Zohran Mamdani-endorsed candidate, to be announced the winner in the Democratic primary in the 12th district: a dominant victory that reinforced the power of New York City’s mayor and the durability of the progressive movement. Cheers rang out at 9.04pm at the bar where Lander held his victory party, as the former city comptroller and former mayoral candidate was declared to have easily defeated Dan Goldman, the district’s two-term incumbent, in the Democratic primary. Continue reading...
Surging pokies revenue proves NSW Labor has failed to reduce gambling harm as promised, advocates say
State budget suggests Minns government is addicted to pokies revenue, with tax take predicted to jump from $1.6bn to $2.2bn annually within four years Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast Anti-gambling advocates say surging tax revenue from poker machines in New South Wales is a betrayal of the Minns government’s promise to reform the industry. Tuesday’s state budget forecasts the annual revenue from all gambling taxes will rise from $3.8bn in 2025-26 to $4.7bn by 2029-30. That includes an annual rise in revenue from poker machines in pubs and hotels of 7.5%, outstripping inflation, meaning the government expects to pocket $2.2bn from pokies in 2029-30 compared with $1.6bn this financial year. Continue reading...
World Cup 2026: England frustrated; final group games kick off as Scotland face Brazil – live
⚽ All the latest news on a day packed with six matches ⚽ Player guide | Bracketology | Golden Boot | Mail Daniel And so to England. There are some absolutely gorgeous shots here. Headloss dept: Continue reading...
Dettol apologises after ‘toxic men’ advert sparks backlash in China
British disinfectant brand withdraws advert about a man’s efforts to find a ‘clean and untouched’ woman The British hygiene brand Dettol has apologised after an advertisement released in China, which it said was intended to criticise “toxic men”, was widely condemned on social media as offensive to women. The five-minute advert for a multipurpose disinfectant, released across many online platforms at the end of May, features a man comparing his girlfriend with his former partner. Learning that his former girlfriend had previously lived with someone else, the man likens their relationship to a “secondhand service”. He then tells his friends that he intends to find a “clean and untouched” woman with whom he can be the first sexual partner. Continue reading...
Philippines blocks GoreBox gaming app after school shooting kills three, injures 20
Investigators said one of the teenagers who allegedly opened fire on students at a high school had regularly used the GoreBox gaming app Philippine authorities have temporarily blocked the online gaming app GoreBox days after a rare school shooting in the south-east Asian nation killed three students and injured 20 others. Investigators said that of the two teenagers accused of opening fire on students at San Jose National high school in Tacloban city, one had regularly played the game, which allows players to use various weapons and depicts graphic violence. Continue reading...
Bird flu confirmed in second Australian state as infected petrel brings deadly H5N1 cases to three
An additional case is suspected in Western Australia, which would bring the total number of bird flu infections to four Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast Deadly H5 bird flu has been confirmed in two Australian states after a migratory seabird tested positive for the disease in South Australia. Western Australia also has another suspected positive case, in a southern giant petrel, found in the Quindalup region in the state’s south west. Continue reading...
Darren Jones says he will not challenge Andy Burnham for Labour leadership
Chief secretary to PM says he had been ‘reassured’ about Burnham’s economic plans after conversation with him Darren Jones has ruled himself out of running for the Labour leadership after a conversation with Andy Burnham. Speaking to Sky News, the chief secretary to the prime minister said he had been “reassured” about Burnham’s economic plans after their conversation on Tuesday. Continue reading...
One Nation angers miners after rookie MP sides with Greens on fuel rebates
Opponents seize on Farrer MP David Farley’s decision to vote alongside teals and Greens to wind back fuel tax credits for miners, farmers and others Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast One Nation is under pressure to clarify its position on fuel tax credits after its rookie MP voted to wind back the rebates, a position opposed by mining and farming groups. The Farrer MP, David Farley , sided with the Greens and teal independents in a lower-house vote to cap the scheme, which refunds miners, farmers and other industries that use heavy machinery the 52.6c a litre excise applied to petrol and diesel. Continue reading...
Interest rate hikes remain on cards as Australia’s underlying inflation climbs, economists warn
Despite plunging fuel prices, trimmed mean inflation increased from an annual pace of 3.4% to 3.6% Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast Australia’s inflation challenge is far from over and more Reserve Bank rate hikes remain on the cards , economists warn, even after a plunging petrol costs drove an unexpected fall in consumer price growth in the year to May. Annual inflation dropped to 4%, from 4.2% in the year to April, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, dragged down in large part thanks to a nearly 12% drop in fuel prices in the month of May. Continue reading...
Former WH Smith’s small suppliers to lose at least half of debts in rescue plan
If TG Jones’s aggressive restructuring is voted through, the charity Help for Heroes and other creditors will be out of pocket Small suppliers including the charity Help for Heroes are to lose at least half the money owed to them by the former WH Smith high street chain if a planned restructure is voted through this week. The books to paperclips retailer, which has 450 stores, was bought by the private equity firm Modella Capital last year and rebranded TG Jones. It has said it is likely that it will have to call in administrators if creditors, including shop landlords, do not approve an amended restructuring plan, seen by the Guardian, designed to cut costs in a vote on Wednesday. Continue reading...
Wednesday briefing: How can the UK protect its landscape in an increasingly hot world?
In today’s newsletter: As heatwaves intensify, Britain’s ecosystems are being pushed beyond their evolutionary limits Our green and pleasant land is sizzling. This week, millions of us across the UK are baking in unprecedented heat. The Met Office has issued a rare red weather warning from 9am today in parts of southern Wales, and central and southern England. The temperature record for June of 35.6C is almost certain to be broken; Bristol is forecast to hit an alarming 39C tomorrow. In the heat, the country’s infrastructure is straining: millions of homes are overheating, rail operators have warned against all but essential travel, and hospital admissions are set to surge. The Climate Change Committee concluded last month the UK is built for a climate that no longer exists – and warned today on the country’s policies towards achieving net zero. UK news | Searing heat has swept the UK with schools, hospitals, transport networks and water companies struggling to cope with the extreme temperatures caused by climate breakdown. UK politics | Keir Starmer has met Andy Burnham for the first time since the Makerfield byelection in what sources said was a “frosty” meeting to thrash out a transition of power. US news | Marco Rubio is to meet Gulf allies in an attempt to reassure them that the US remains committed to their security and the 60-day ceasefire deal struck with Iran last week will not embolden Tehran. Europe news | Forty people have drowned while swimming in unsupervised areas across France in recent days, as people across the country sought respite from a record-breaking heatwave. UK politics | Nigel Farage has said his £5m gift from a crypto billionaire is “not any of your business” as it was given unconditionally to be spent on anything from Ferraris to gambling on horses. Continue reading...