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Politics
Policy, power, and the news of the day.
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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...
Labour members ‘have tougher view on welfare than you might think’, poll suggests
Survey finds party members see health, the economy, cost of living and climate crisis among biggest challenges Andy Burnham has inherited a Labour membership that is sceptical about increased welfare spending, supportive of higher defence spending, and ranks the climate crisis as one of the country’s biggest challenges, according to new polling. The survey of 788 members between the end of June and the end of July shows them ranking health (43%), the economy (42%), cost of living (39%) and climate change (29%) as Britain’s most important issues, ahead of welfare benefits (7%) and immigration (6%). Continue reading...
‘We fought for a tougher sentence’: Victims’ families share their outrage at early release schemes
The family of PC Andrew Harper are among those who say they are devastated by killers getting out of jail early When Calvin Buckley, whose pregnant partner was killed by a dangerous driver in 2023, successfully secured a tougher sentence for the man who took her life, he felt some justice had been served. Now, under plans to release prisoners early to ease overcrowding, Adil Iqbal, who filmed himself speeding at 123mph before he crashed into 38-year-old Frankie Jules-Hough, may serve less time in prison than he would have under his original sentence. Continue reading...
Ex-MP urges Tories to drop candidate jailed for campaign of antisemitic abuse against her
Luciana Berger says Joshua Bonehill-Paine should have no role in public life because of ‘his racism and his view of women’ A former MP has urged the Tory leader to drop an election candidate who was previously jailed for a campaign of antisemitic abuse against her. Kemi Badenoch on Tuesday defended the Conservative party’s selection of Joshua Bonehill-Paine, a former neo-Nazi, insisting she believes in “second chances”. Continue reading...
EU chief criticises Spain’s migrant plan after Ceuta crisis meeting
Migration commissioner says scheme regularising undocumented people ‘not a good signal’ for Europe Explainer: Why is Ceuta a migration flashpoint? The EU’s top official on migration has criticised Spain’s plan to regularise undocumented migrants as “not a good signal” for Europe, after an emergency meeting intended to draw a line under divisions on the Ceuta crisis. Magnus Brunner, the European commissioner for migration, said that while the EU could not currently see a direct link between events in Ceuta and Spain’s regularisation plan, the policy was “definitely not a good signal for the rest of Europe”. Continue reading...
Huw Edwards criticised for entering Welsh poetry competition
BBC actor Sera Cracroft says if disgraced former newsreader had won it would be hurtful to abuse survivors The disgraced former BBC presenter Huw Edwards has been criticised after entering a Welsh poetry competition under a pseudonym. Actor Sera Cracroft, best known for her role in the long-running BBC Welsh language soap opera Pobol y Cwm, told the BBC it would have been “catastrophic” if Edwards had won the prize, and that the “image of him being crowned in front of the nation” would be “hurtful to survivors”. Continue reading...
US and Qatar report progress on Iran ceasefire and reopening Hormuz strait
Optimism echoes Trump’s claims on Monday that deal is close as mediators say they are exchanging proposals Middle East crisis live – latest updates US and Qatari officials have said progress is being made in restoring a ceasefire in the US-Iran war and reopening the strait of Hormuz. The optimistic speculation on Tuesday brought oil prices down 2%, but the strait remained closed to shipping and a cargo vessel was reportedly struck by an unidentified projectile off Oman’s coast close to the strait. Continue reading...
USMNT to face Mexico and Canada in friendlies to kick off 2030 World Cup cycle
Fall opponents also include Peru and Chile Matches set for 26 September to 6 October First games since Pochettino agreed to return The US men’s national team will kick off the next World Cup cycle with four matches over 11 days on home soil. The friendlies include games against Peru, Chile, Mexico and Canada in US cities that didn’t host World Cup action this summer. Continue reading...
Is Gianni Infantino’s time up as Fifa president? - The Latest
Gianni Infantino’s reign as Fifa president is in severe peril after the collapse of his plans to sell off parts of the World Cup to private investment. Many Concacaf countries are considering following Europe’s lead by formally removing their support for the Fifa president, and there are widespread calls to remove him from his post. Lucy Hough speaks to columnist Jonathan Liew Continue reading...
Ohio Republican Max Miller faces growing calls to resign over domestic abuse allegations
Bernie Moreno, Miller’s ex-father-in-law, says congressman is unfit for office as Miller denies allegations Max Miller, the Republican representative from Ohio, is facing a rising groundswell of resignation calls from his own party over domestic abuse allegations after his ex-father-in-law, Bernie Moreno, a GOP senator, said he was unfit to serve in Congress. With a deadline looming for party leaders to choose a potential replacement, Miller, a former White House aide, also came under pressure from Donald Trump on Monday after the president reportedly called and told him “things aren’t looking good” for his re-election campaign against Democrat opponent, Brian Poindexter. Continue reading...
Refuse collectors help Italian woman recover binned €1m lottery ticket
Winner called waste management team after she realised stub showing she had hit the jackpot had been thrown away A €1m lottery ticket has been recovered from the rubbish in Italy after the frantic winner called on refuse collectors to help her retrieve it, according to the waste management company. The instant win ticket was “miraculously still in one piece” after garbage workers combed through mounds of rubbish on their truck, said Roberto Nicola Toscano, the administrator of the SANB company in Italy’s southern Puglia region. Continue reading...
Elon Musk’s X latest to block Saudi dissident accounts inside kingdom
Exclusive: More than 60 accounts on X have been made unavailable in Saudi Arabia, after similar action on Snapchat and Facebook Elon Musk’s X has become the latest major US social media company to block the accounts of Saudi Arabian dissidents so they are no longer visible inside the kingdom, following orders from Saudi authorities. Earlier this year, the Guardian reported that platforms including Snapchat and Meta’s Facebook and Instagram had blocked dissidents’ accounts over allegations by Saudi authorities that they were violating local law. Continue reading...
Todd Blanche’s attorney general nomination will advance to full US Senate vote
Blanche, one of Trump’s most trusted legal aides, had confirmed in writing that $1.8bn slush fund for president’s allies was dead The US Senate judiciary committee voted along party lines to advance Todd Blanche’s nomination for attorney general after he confirmed in writing that a planned $1.8bn slush fund for Donald Trump’s allies was dead. Experts say , however, that Trump could easily reverse the deal. His nomination will now proceed to the full Senate, where it will likely face intense skepticism from Democrats. Continue reading...
Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey gives UK poetry sales an epic boost
Poetry sales surpassed £8m in the first 30 weeks of 2026 and are expected to reach a record high this year thanks to blockbuster adaptation of Homer’s 2,700-year-old poem UK poetry sales are on course to reach a record high this year, buoyed by the success of Christopher Nolan’s blockbuster film adaptation of Homer’s The Odyssey. Poetry sales surpassed £8m during the first 30 weeks of 2026, an increase of 13.3% on the same period last year, according to data from market researchers NielsenIQ. Continue reading...
Reading and writing worsens in Australian schools as one in three students fail to meet Naplan benchmarks
Education minister Jason Clare says the results showed ‘real challenges’ but numeracy scores were heartening Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast Reading and writing scores are going backwards for almost every age group in Australia’s national standardised school tests, with one in three students still failing to meet Naplan benchmarks. This year’s tests were taken in March by 1.2 million students across years 3, 5, 7 and 9 to measure literacy and numeracy proficiency, with results released on Wednesday by the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (Acara). Continue reading...
‘Did you send that report?’ The Icac bombshell that came late for Damien Tudehope
The former Liberal finance minister was questioned by Icac counsel assisting, Peggy Dwyer, on Tuesday Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast The bombshell came in the last five minutes of former finance minister and rightwing powerbroker Damien Tudehope’s examination before the Independent Commission Against Corruption . At 3.30pm on Tuesday, Tudehope was shown an email which he sent in February 2023, attaching a leaked draft parliamentary report into branch stacking in the Hills area by the Reformers, the shadowy group at the centre of Icac’s Operation Rosny. Continue reading...
Melbourne anti-weapons protest being investigated as terrorist act by ‘far-left extremists’
Federal police say those who vandalised a defence manufacturer and torched nearby cars could face life imprisonment Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast Anti-weapons protesters who vandalised a defence manufacturer and set nearby vehicles alight could face life imprisonment after police said the incident was being investigated as an act of terrorism by “far-left extremists”. The Australian federal police, their Victorian counterparts and spy agency Asio are examining whether the incident at Melbourne-based Lovitt Technologies on 5 July 2025 was potentially perpetrated by “far-left extremists, motivated by anarchist and revolutionary ideologies”, a joint statement said. Continue reading...
Mentions of ‘gender’ scrubbed from Queensland Office for Women website amid alleged effort to ‘dewokify’
Comparisons of live and archived pages show more than 20 mentions have been removed, including in reference to the gender pay gap Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast References to “gender equality” have been removed from the Queensland Office for Women’s website amid claims by former staffers that the Liberal National party government wants to “dewokify” the public service. Guardian Australia has seen an email from a manager, sent in January, tasking staff with scanning the website for the word “gender” so that it could be “reframed”. Continue reading...
Aboriginal community police officers sue NT authorities over alleged racial abuse and discrimination
Class action claims Indigenous staff were called slurs, exposed to racist language and paid less for doing the same work Warning: This article contains racist and offensive language directed at First Nations people Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast Aboriginal community police officers are suing the Northern Territory government and the NT police force alleging systemic discrimination and underpayment, the widespread use of racist slurs against Indigenous colleagues and community members, and abuse spanning nearly three decades. The class action, on behalf of Aboriginal community police officers (Acpos or Apos) who worked in the NT between 1998 and 2025, is led Shawn Lewfatt, a Darwin man who has served as an Acpo since 1998. He said decades on the job had left him dreading putting on his uniform. Continue reading...
Star Wars dubbed into Welsh for first time for S4C broadcast
Rhys Ifans, Matthew Rhys, Aimee-Ffion Edwards and Mark Lewis Jones among actors voicing characters from 1977 blockbuster There are a few links between the Star Wars franchise and Wales, including the secretive building of the Millennium Falcon in an old hangar in the far south-west of the Celtic nation. But until now speakers of Welsh – Cymraeg – have not been able to hear the words of Luke Skywalker, Han Solo and Princess Leia spoken in their own language. Continue reading...
Electronic tagging system unprepared to monitor thousands of early-release prisoners, watchdog warns
Probation inspector says ‘clunky’ system needs upgrade and huge increase in staff to monitor offenders effectively The electronic tagging system which will be relied upon to monitor thousands of offenders released early from prison is failing to alert the authorities of potential breaches of conditions, a watchdog has warned. Martin Jones, HM inspector of probation in England and Wales, said the current system relies upon hard-pressed police and probation officers looking up individual cases and then deciding whether potential breaches need to be investigated further. Continue reading...