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Politics
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Bipartisan housing bill to become law in a matter of days – with or without Trump’s signature
President says he won’t sign housing bill without passage of voting legislation, but without veto it will still become law US politics live – latest updates A major housing bill will go into effect at midnight on Saturday without Donald Trump ’s signature, after the president said he would refuse to sign the legislation because Congress has not approved new restrictions on voting nationwide. The measure, known as the 21st Century Road to Housing Act, is the biggest change to federal policy for buyers, renters and homebuilders in decades, and Congress approved it with large margins last month after lengthy negotiations between Democrats and Republicans . Continue reading...
Police investigating former prince Andrew will visit US to speak with accuser’s relatives
Thames Valley police reportedly wish to talk to Virginia Giuffre’s brother and sister-in-law about her allegations Detectives investigating Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor are to travel to the US to speak with the family of his accuser Virginia Giuffre, it has been reported. Thames Valley police are believed to want to talk to Giuffre’s brother and sister-in-law, Sky and Amanda Roberts, about their sister’s allegations of sexual assault against the former Duke of York. The former prince has denied Giuffre’s allegations. Giuffre, 41, took her own life in April last year. Continue reading...
Child abuser who preyed on orphans housed at Christian Brothers property
Exclusive: Records obtained by the Guardian show property owned by Catholic order used to house at least two brothers with horrific histories of child sexual abuse Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast Christian Brothers properties have been used to house convicted child sexual abuse offenders, including one brother who preyed on orphans and another who was kept in teaching positions for almost three decades after senior officials became aware of his offending. The Christian Brothers prompted fury from survivors last month when it declared it was about to go broke, and could no longer afford to meet their claims in court. Continue reading...
Why pay a premium fee for a service that isn’t? How the nationwide outage could hurt Telstra
The telco has long banked on its reputation as having the most stable, widest mobile telco coverage. That is now badly dented Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast Telstra has long profited from its reputation of having the largest and most stable mobile telco coverage in Australia, allowing it to charge premium prices. When its main rival, Optus, suffered a series of operational issues that culminated in a damaging triple zero outage last year, Telstra attracted new customers. Continue reading...
Journalist Richard Guilliatt resigns from Walkley awards board after critic wins reporting prize
Exclusive: Resignation comes after abuse survivor said she was devastated her father, who was jailed for 48 years, was interviewed for the Shadow of Doubt podcast Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast The journalist Richard Guilliatt has resigned from the Walkley awards judging board after the Walkley Foundation dismissed complaints about his podcast and then handed an award to the journalist whose reports were critical of him. Nina Funnell won a mid-year Walkley for freelance journalist of the year for a series of three articles in news.com.au about a survivor of sexual assault who was abused by her own parents for 14 years. Continue reading...
Democrat running for Texas AG claims $110m in grants for Starlink ‘sure looks’ like corruption
Nathan Johnson says if elected he’ll investigate state’s deal with Elon Musk’s SpaceX to provide rural internet US politics live – latest updates A Texas Democrat running to become the state’s attorney general has said he will investigate Elon Musk ’s SpaceX company if elected, saying it “sure looks like” corruption was involved in a deal he said handed the world’s richest man $110m of taxpayers’ money. Nathan Johnson made the comment in an interview with the Dallas News on Friday, in which he called for greater legislative scrutiny of state grants funneled to SpaceX for its Starlink satellite program, which provides fast internet access for customers in remote areas. Continue reading...
Online platforms will have to ban scam ads under UK proposals to tackle fraud
Range of measures announced by regulator Ofcom under new phase of implementing Online Safety Act Major tech platforms will be required to ban scam advertisers in the UK under new proposals to tackle online fraud. Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, X and YouTube will have to block bad actors who post fraudulent ads and prevent them from creating new accounts in a range of measures targeted at the biggest services. Continue reading...
Police investigating death of Ann Widdecombe
Death of 78-year-old former MP and TV personality was announced on Friday by her management Police are investigating the death of the former MP Ann Widdecombe, who was found dead at her home in Dartmoor at the age of 78. A statement from Devon and Cornwall police is expected on Friday afternoon, with a senior officer expected to provide a statement and take questions. Continue reading...
The Trump administration is charging these Minneapolis protesters with conspiracy. Organizers won’t back down
‘Minnesota 15’ indicted after opposing ICE crackdown – just the latest attempt by Trump DoJ to criminalize resistance Days after pleading not guilty to conspiracy charges, Emmett Doyle took the stage at a dive bar in Minneapolis, and performed an Irish protest ballad. “And you dare to call me a terrorist, while you look down your gun,” he sang during his set. The tune has particular resonance now that Doyle, a musician and carpenter who the US government claims is an “antifa” domestic terrorist, awaits trial for protesting. “That song has been a source of inspiration for me, in finding courage to face this ordeal,” he said. Continue reading...
‘We know the truth’: Philadelphians fight Trump’s erasure of history
Over the last six months, activists have ensured the US doesn’t forget enslavement in the nation’s first capital On an overcast day, Tiffany Cooper, a visitor, snapped a photo of a panel about an enslaved woman at the President’s House in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The remainder of the brick wall was blank, with bolts serving as the only reminder of the other panels that once stood there. As a Black woman, Cooper said that she felt a deep sadness at the “incompleteness” of the exhibit. It once detailed the lives of nine enslaved Africans who served George Washington when Philadelphia was the US capitol in the 1790s. Continue reading...
National guard pilots return to duty after 4 July low-level beach flyover in South Carolina
Helicopter pilots were suspended from duty after a low-level stunt over beachgoers during holiday aviation show Sign up for the Breaking News US newsletter email Eight South Carolina national guard helicopter pilots have been returned to flying duties following a suspension over a low-flying sweep over beachgoers as part of a Fourth of July event honoring service members. “Effective immediately, the suspension of all involved South Carolina pilots has been lifted,” the Pentagon spokesperson, Sean Parnell, wrote on Friday morning on social media. “Carry on Patriots.” Continue reading...
Protests engulf Indian state after rape and murder of 11-year-old girl
Innocent man lynched by mob in West Bengal as police killing of suspect further escalates tensions Protests have engulfed the Indian state of West Bengal after the rape and murder of an 11-year-old girl, the subsequent lynching of an innocent man and the police killing of one of the accused. Outrage erupted on Sunday after the body of a missing girl was recovered from a pond, in a town just outside the state capital, Kolkata. Continue reading...
One thought on the Clacton contenders: the ‘establishment’ looks a bit different these days, doesn’t it? | Marina Hyde
Nigel Farage has billed his byelection as a clash with the powers that be. To wit: Laurence Fox, a naked celebrity and a man with a bin on his head Quick look at the Clacton byelection field as it stands: Nigel Farage, Count Binface, Piers Corbyn, Laurence Fox, some bloke who’s been on Married at First Sight and Dating Naked ... anyway, there’s more , but you get the picture. It’s going to be a long hot summer. By the end of this contest Clacton will be begging to be left behind again. To recap, Reform leader Farage this week delivered an address to the nation on his political future, which can effectively be summarised as “Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the messiest bitch of all?” Under fire over his recently exposed penchant for taking mental amounts of money and benefits from Thailand-based cryptophiliacs/ convicted fraudsters and their mums , Nigel has decided to seek validation by asking the voters of Clacton to rule on him. So yes, Farage has triggered a byelection – but he’s also triggered anyone who’s ever been in a toxic relationship where their partner forces them into public declarations of loyalty. It’s all very “I always choose you over everyone, Nigel, and I hate that my family are trying to destroy us”. Marina Hyde’s new book, What a Time to be Alive!, is out in September (Guardian Faber Publishing, £20). To support the Guardian, order your signed copy at guardianbookshop.com . Delivery charges may apply Marina Hyde is a Guardian columnist Continue reading...
The bulging in-tray of challenges Andy Burnham faces upon entering No 10
From welfare and defence spending to cost of living and geopolitics, we the look at issues leftover from Keir Starmer UK politics live – latest updates Andy Burnham is expected to become prime minister in less than two weeks and has promised to significantly change Labour’s agenda and deliver improvements for all parts of the UK. But he will arrive with a bulging in-tray of challenges and issues leftover from Keir Starmer – from geopolitics to the cost of living. Here is what Burnham can expect to find behind the Downing Street black door. Continue reading...
Pacific gray whales facing ‘catastrophic’ die-off as climate crisis hits food supply
Trump administration urged to relist a species in ‘very, very serious trouble’ under Endangered Species Act Climate change is driving a gray whale “catastrophic mortality event” in the Pacific Ocean as melting sea ice depletes food sources and the animals starve, environmental groups warn . Meanwhile, a range of other issues, like ship strikes, oil spills, microplastic pollution, algal blooms and Russian harvesting are also probably contributing to the die-off that has nearly halved the whales’ estimated population. It fell from 20,000 in 2019 to fewer than 13,000 this year, and the deaths appear to be accelerating. Continue reading...
USMNT’s World Cup exit was most-watched American telecast since Super Bowl
4-1 defeat to Belgium averaged 33 million viewers on Fox Mexico v England neared 45 million across platforms The US men’s national team officially broke the record for most-watched soccer telecast in US history twice in a row. As disappointing as Monday’s 4-1 last-16 loss to Belgium was for fans, the pregame excitement helped attract 33.086 million viewers, according to Nielsen Media research. The audience peaked at 41.033 million during the 9.15-9.30pm eastern time window. Continue reading...
Ryanair passenger almost sucked out of shattered window during flight
Serbian man reportedly saved by wife hanging on to his legs after window shattered on journey from Greece A passenger on a Ryanair flight was reportedly almost sucked out of a window after it shattered in mid-air during a journey from Greece. The man was said to have been sucked out of his seat into the plane’s slipstream and hung headfirst out of the window after an engine failure resulted in parts smashing the acrylic window, according to local reports. Continue reading...
Judge to decide if Charlie Kirk case will go to murder trial after five-day hearing
Tyler Robinson is accused of shooting the far-right activist at Utah Valley University last year A judge is set to determine whether the case against Tyler James Robinson, the man charged with murdering Charlie Kirk, will advance to trial, as a five-day preliminary hearing comes to a close on Friday. US district judge Tony Graf is expected to sift through the evidence presented by the state and Robinson’s defense team in the coming weeks before issuing a ruling. Continue reading...
Reform Greater Manchester candidate criticised over ‘migrant rapists’ comments
Sian Astley doubles down on stance that people who vote for open borders should house ‘criminals and rapists’ who enter UK UK politics live – latest updates The Reform UK candidate in the Greater Manchester mayoral race has been criticised by her rivals after doubling down on comments that voters for other parties should have to house criminals and rapists. Sian Astley, a property businesswoman, initially made the comments in a Facebook post in which she shared her party’s pledge that a Reform government would prioritise placing migrant detention centres in areas where the Green party had an MP or controlled the local council. Continue reading...
GMB warns Labour MPs that cap on political donations could endanger party funding
Exclusive: Sources say Labour whips are calling MPs urging them to heed union’s warning and not vote for cap One of Britain’s biggest trade unions has told Labour MPs not to vote for a cap on political donations next week, warning it could endanger union funding for the party. The GMB union has written to its affiliated MPs urging them not to vote for amendments to the representation of the people bill that would cap donations at either £100,000 or £1m. Continue reading...
MPs call on UK government to host televised emergency briefing on climate emergency
As UK swelters in another heatwave, 50-minute Chris Packham film outlines threats to security, economy and health MPs are calling on the UK government to host a televised national climate emergency briefing in response to what has been described as the most “insidious threat to our society”. In November, in the “first-of-its-kind, national emergency briefing”, nine experts gave stark assessments in Westminster Hall of the scale of the changes needed to adapt the country to the rapidly changing climate and ecological landscape. Continue reading...
Pressure mounts on Texas to address brutal heat crisis in prison cells
State hit by new wrongful death lawsuit by family of Jason Wilson, who died in ‘brutally hot, un-airconditioned’ cell Texas, the state with the largest prison population in the US, is coming under mounting legal pressure to address the ongoing crisis of brutal heat in its cells, as extreme summer temperatures expose inmates to suffering, illness and even death. The Texas department of criminal justice (TDCJ), the state agency that runs dozens of prisons, has been hit by a new wrongful death lawsuit by the family of Jason Wilson. The inmate was found dead in his solitary confinement cell at the Coffield unit in July 2024. Continue reading...
This program gives Black single moms $1,000 a month for a year. The results are undeniable
The Magnolia Mother’s Trust is the first to target low-income families led by Black mothers in Jackson, Mississippi Three months after giving birth to her son, Amaya Jones moved into a new apartment complex. She knew no one else in the building, but it was a fresh start for her and her two children. One day, someone put up a flyer on her unit’s door, notifying her about a program called the Magnolia Mother’s Trust (MMT). Launched in 2018, the MMT is the longest-running guaranteed income program in the country, and the first to target extremely low-income families headed by Black mothers in Jackson, Mississippi. With no strings attached, the program provides mothers with $1,000 a month for 12 months. Continue reading...
Time marches on: what the next three years will bring for the USMNT
After a fun World Cup with a dismal end, the US enters the 2030 cycle with numerous avenues to rebuild the squad There are massive questions lingering around the US men’s program. Mauricio Pochettino’s contract is up, US Soccer has made an extension offer, but both parties are taking some time. Matt Crocker’s abrupt exit as sporting director to take a similar job with Saudi Arabia before the World Cup begs more queries about the direction of the sport in this country. And while most of the 2026 squad’s core still projects to contend for 2030, four years is a long time. From now, each year offers a major tournament. This is what the US should hope to clarify at every step of the way. Continue reading...