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Politics
Policy, power, and the news of the day.
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MI6 is top European foreign intelligence service, peer review finds
UK’s Secret Intelligence Service praised for playing long game and having ‘a taste for dirty tricks’ MI6 has been ranked as the most powerful foreign intelligence service in Europe ahead of France and the Netherlands, according to a peer review. The British intelligence agency scored 251 points in the research and was commended for its expertise in recruiting high-level informants and penetrating the ruling elites in Russia, China, Iran and Turkey, according to the review by 60 professionals from 25 countries. Continue reading...
Jetstar to charge passengers up to $52 to put baggage in overhead lockers
Airline says struggling to find room in overhead lockers on planes a ‘stressful part of the airport experience’ Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast Jetstar will charge its passengers up to $52 to put carry-on baggage in the overhead locker, in a major change to the budget airline’s carry-on rules. In a press release on Wednesday morning, the airline announced it would remove the 7kg weight limit for carry-on bags, beginning in February 2027. There will still be size restrictions. Continue reading...
US midterm primary elections live updates: High-stakes Michigan Senate race among key contests in five states
Voters in Michigan, Missouri, Washington, Kansas and Virginia head to polls to select candidates who will appear on November ballots Michigan votes in key Senate primary as Democrats battle over party’s future Washington state Democrat who flipped pro-Trump district faces tough primary Good evening. In Michigan, voters are casting ballots in a Democratic primary that has become a high-stakes test of the party’s future. Polls close at 8 p.m. local time. Michigan is one of five states holding primary elections today, along with Kansas, Virginia, Washington and Missouri. Continue reading...
Government contracts to require job creation instead of green targets under new rules
Louise Haigh says taxpayer money must benefit local communities amid backlash from environmental groups Ministers will scrap the requirement for companies to prove their green and progressive values before they are awarded government contracts, and instead ask firms to prove they will help young people back into work. As part of a government push to reduce the number of people not in education, employment or training (Neets) in the UK and boost regional growth, public sector buyers will double the consideration they give to whether companies will get more people into jobs, rather than if they can show they are improving social and environmental wellbeing. Government procurement contracts account for about £90bn of taxpayers’ money spent each year. Continue reading...
Judge grants DoJ bid to dismiss January 6 cases against rightwing Oath Keepers
Ruling vacates convictions of founder Stewart Rhodes and other militia members who took part in 2021 Capitol attack A US judge on Tuesday granted the justice department’s bid to dismiss cases against members of the rightwing Oath Keepers militia who took part in the January 6 2021 attack on the US Capitol, according to a court filing. The ruling from Washington-based US district judge Amit Mehta tosses out convictions of Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes and other members of the group who were convicted of seditious conspiracy for plotting to stop the transfer of power after Donald Trump lost the 2020 election. Continue reading...
Australia news live: Jetstar to charge passengers for overhead baggage; Labor drops so-called ‘widow tax’
Airline removes carry-on weight limit but will charge for bags that don’t fit under seat. Follow today’s news live Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast Good morning, and happy Wednesday. Nick Visser here bright and early. Here’s what’s on deck. Jetstar will make it more difficult for travellers to bring carry-on baggage onboard an aircraft. The company will remove its 7kg carry-on weight limits, but impose a size-based model that will allow customers to bring just one underseat bag. An overhead bag will now cost. Continue reading...
US stock market hits record highs as AI profits pile and oil prices ease
S&P 500 shot up 1.8% and the main measure of Wall Street’s health topped its prior all-time high set a few months ago The US stock market rallied to records on Tuesday as profits kept piling up for companies and as oil prices eased. The S&P 500 shot up 1.8%, and the main measure of Wall Street’s health topped its prior all-time high set a couple months ago. The Dow Jones industrial average added 907 points, or 1.7%, to its own record set the day before, while the Nasdaq composite jumped 2.6%. Continue reading...
UFC’s White House spectacle led to losses of around $30m, company reveals
Freedom 250 staged on White House South Lawn Invitation-only event cost an estimated $60m in all Gaethje won title on night marred by Obama smear The UFC staging its Freedom 250 card on the South Lawn of the White House in June led to losses of around $30m (roughly £22m), the company’s owners announced. US president Donald Trump, a longtime fan of the UFC , and vice-president JD Vance were in attendance for the event which marked celebrations for 250 years of American independence. Continue reading...
Jay Clayton sworn in as US director of national intelligence
After a bumpy confirmation hearing, Clayton replaces acting director Bill Pulte to head US intelligence agencies US politics live – latest updates Jay Clayton has been sworn in as the US’s top spy after a contentious Senate confirmation hearing during which he refused to directly acknowledge that Donald Trump lost the 2020 presidential election. The oath of office was administered to Clayton on Tuesday by the treasury secretary, Scott Bessent, in the Oval Office as the president looked on and applauded. He becomes the ninth director of national intelligence, replacing Tulsi Gabbard, who stepped down in June . Continue reading...
New York deputy police commissioner fired after attempted murder arrest
Mount Vernon official is accused of driving getaway car after son allegedly opened fire outside Bronx court A New York state police department fired its deputy commissioner on Tuesday after she allegedly acted as a getaway driver for her son in what is being investigated as an attempted murder. The city of Mount Vernon said in an Instagram post that it had terminated Jennifer Lackard, deputy police commissioner for safety, for conduct “unrelated to her duties”. Continue reading...
After share price crash following IPO, SpaceX to report first earnings as a public company
The company will release its second quarter earnings on Tuesday, giving investors a look at its potential profit For the first time since SpaceX went public, the world will get a first-hand look into the trillion-dollar corporation’s financials. The Elon Musk -run business will report its second quarter earnings on Tuesday, while nervous investors look to gain more insight into the rocket ship company’s potential for profit. SpaceX had a blockbuster initial public offering in June with the largest-ever stock market debut in history. The IPO transformed SpaceX into a $2tn company and briefly crowned Musk the world’s first trillionaire. But since then, the company’s stock has plummeted by 24%, erasing nearly $500bn in market cap. Continue reading...
New MLS commissioner says promotion and relegation won’t be coming ‘anytime soon’
Larry Berg officially introduced to media and MLS staff Berg to take over for Don Garber on 1 January 2027 MLS will have a new commissioner starting in 2027, but don’t expect the league to adopt the promotion and relegation system seen in league systems throughout the world anytime soon. Larry Berg, a co-owner of MLS club Los Angeles FC and the league’s incoming boss, said in his introductory press conference on Tuesday that he doesn’t think that the long-mooted idea of bringing “pro/rel” to the North American league is “appropriate.” Continue reading...
Devastating LA wildfire sparked by utility company tower, long-awaited report finds
Investigators pin blame for Eaton fire, which killed 19 people and ruined thousands of homes, on ‘electrical arcing events’ at out-of-service tower The deadly 2025 Eaton fire in the Los Angeles area was caused by equipment belonging to the utility company Southern California Edison, fire officials said in a report released on Tuesday. Los Angeles county fire officials found that the cause of the fire that killed 19 people and destroyed or damaged more than 9,000 homes and businesses was a tower that was not in service, according to the report. Continue reading...
University of Maryland ‘teacher of the year’ detained by ICE in Texas
DHS said pharmacy instructor Berhanu Kibret overstayed visa and arrested him at Dallas-Fort Worth airport An instructor at the University of Maryland, Baltimore who only just received a “teacher of the year” award has been arrested by federal immigration agents under the command of the Trump administration . Immigration and Customs Enforcement ( ICE ) officials detained Berhanu Kibret, an instructor at the university’s pharmacy school, at the Dallas-Fort Worth airport in Texas, according to multiple news reports. The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which oversees ICE, confirmed Kibret’s arrest, citing an expired visa – but it stopped short of providing a location. Continue reading...
Falcons make Bijan Robinson highest-paid running back in NFL history with deal worth up to $75m
Two-time Pro Bowler expected to get $51m guaranteed Average value surpasses that of Eagles’ Saquon Barkley The Atlanta Falcons have agreed to a three-year contract extension with Bijan Robinson through the 2030 season that makes the fourth-year player the highest-paid running back in NFL history. Robinson reposted the NFL’s Instagram post detailing the extension on Tuesday morning, writing “God this is for you! Blessings. Love this team and this city!” Continue reading...
Ex-Olympian weighing ‘all options’ after reflecting pool charges dropped
David Hearn has ‘number of potential remedies’ after being prosecuted in connection with pool damage, attorney says An attorney for the former Olympic canoeist who was charged with vandalizing the Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool has said that “all options are on table” for legal recourse after prosecutors recently abandoned the case abruptly. David Hearn “has a number of potential remedies” after being prosecuted in connection with pool damage now attributed to faulty work by a contractor, attorney Steven Levin said in a statement. Levin added that those could include “civil suits, bar referrals for the prosecutors involved, request for sanctions and reimbursement of attorneys’ fees and expenses”, and requests for investigations by various government entities, including Congress. Continue reading...
Iran’s president denies threatening to resign during talks over strait of Hormuz
Masoud Pezeshkian dismisses talk of internal rift as hardline Assembly of Experts call US negotiations ‘futile’ Middle East crisis live – latest updates Masoud Pezeshkian, Iran’s president, has been forced to deny claims that he has repeatedly threatened to resign as he battles hardline factions opposed to reaching a settlement with the US over the strait of Hormuz. The US and Europe hope a deal is imminent to reopen the strait and they are putting pressure on Oman to accept a temporary agreement that officials in Muscat fear will leave Iran retaining near permanent dominance of the vital oil shipping channel. Ships would enter the strait in a route close to Iran, but leave on a route that passes through Iranian and Omani waters. Continue reading...
Chipotle removes jalapeños amid US salmonella outbreak investigation
Restaurant chain pulls peppers ‘out of an abundance of caution’ as salmonella outbreak sickens 100 people Chipotle said on Tuesday it had removed jalapeños from some of the chain’s restaurants after identifying the peppers as a potential ingredient tied to a salmonella outbreak, replacing them with supplies from different growers. The company said it began tracing ingredients through its supply chain after learning of a potential outbreak and identified jalapeños from a common lot as a possible source. Continue reading...
India’s ruling BJP suffers rare byelection loss after Cockroach student protests
Opposition parties say nationwide protests that forced resignation of education secretary are beginning to dent BJP support India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata party has suffered a byelection defeat in a seat it had held for three decades following the Cockroach movement student protests that have shaken Narendra Modi’s government. Prashant Kishor, a high profile electoral strategist turned politician, scored a breakthrough win for his fledgling Jan Suraaj (Good Governance) party in the Bankipur constituency in Patna, the capital of the eastern state of Bihar. Continue reading...
Calls to ban disposable barbecues in England and Wales over wildfire risk
Lib Dems and many Labour MPs join farmers, landowners and firefighters in urging temporary prohibition Farmers and landowners are calling for a temporary ban on disposable barbecues in England and Wales, as they warn of the risk of igniting wildfires. The call, which has also been made by firefighters and is backed by the Liberal Democrats and many Labour MPs, comes as much of England faces further hot dry weather, despite rain in some areas. Continue reading...
Guatemala volcano eruption prompts evacuation of hundreds of people
Eruption of the Fuego volcano sends lava and ash nearly four miles into the sky as country declares alert warning Hundreds of people living on the slopes of Guatemala ’s Fuego volcano have evacuated their homes after a huge eruption spewed lava and plumes of ash. Central America’s most active volcano erupted on Monday morning, with conditions intensifying by nightfall and prompting authorities to issue the country’s second-most severe alert warning. Continue reading...
The Guardian view on Burnham and the devolved nations: a test for the new politics in Westminster | Editorial
The prime minister has unveiled his plans for English devolution. The picture in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland is much less clear After early statements of intent on homelessness and social care, Andy Burnham capped his opening two weeks in office by addressing what one might call the English question. Plans for greater fiscal devolution to England’s mayoral authorities, unveiled last week, are part of what is perhaps the primary raison d’etre of Mr Burnham’s government: the need to rebalance power and resources, in a country where they have been skewed disproportionately towards London and the south-east. As the designated administrative hub of that political project, the creation of No 10 North in Manchester symbolises the ambition. Beyond England’s borders, however, the picture is much less clear. May’s elections in Scotland and particularly Wales were a disaster for Labour and Mr Burnham’s predecessor, Sir Keir Starmer. Progressive nationalist parties now rule in each of the devolved nations. How the prime minister chooses to engage with them will be a test of the kind of politics of compromise and consensus-building he has said he is committed to. Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here . Continue reading...
Mass funeral held in Gaza for victims of 2023 Israeli strike
Remains of 112 victims, including 40 children, recovered from rubble more than two years after residential block was destroyed Mourners gathered in central Gaza on Tuesday for a mass funeral for 112 people, including 40 children, who were killed in 2023 in one of the deadliest Israeli strikes of the Gaza war. Their bodies could not be recovered until now because of Israel’s continuing strikes, which have slowed, though not halted, since the ceasefire in October. Continue reading...
Trump administration reportedly drafting ban on Chinese datacenter components
Trump’s FCC is developing a measure to bar US imports of new models of Chinese datacenter devices, sources say The Trump administration is reportedly drafting a ban on US imports of new models of Chinese datacenter components, in the latest sign US authorities are scrambling to respond to the rapid development of AI technology in China. Four people familiar with the matter told Reuters that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), which oversees the US telecommunications industry, is developing a measure to bar imports of new Chinese optical transceivers, which allow data to travel over fiber-optic cables at the speed of light within datacenters. Officials hope to publish the measure this year, according to Reuters. Continue reading...