Politics — Pete

The Guardian — US News Aug 3 · 2 min read

Oil prices plunge and Europe’s stock markets rally after Trump calls off Iran strikes

Brent crude drops by 5% after US president said talks on Middle East peace deal would resume Business live – latest updates Crude oil prices fell sharply and European stock markets rallied on Monday after Donald Trump cancelled planned strikes on Iran to focus on negotiations for a peace deal. Brent crude was trading 5% lower at $83.50 a barrel by mid-morning, after falling as low as $81.55 a barrel. US West Texas Intermediate dropped more than $5 to $79.47 a barrel. Continue reading...

The Guardian — World Aug 3 · 2 min read

Middle East crisis live: Iran denies Trump’s claims that talks due to take place

Iranian spokesperson says there are no plans to receive or send a delegation following US president’s assertion that talks would take place today Trump says Iran talks set for Monday Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the Middle East. Esmaeil Baghaei , Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson, told reporters at a weekly press briefing on Monday that Iran is not currently holding any talks with the US, Reuters reports – contradicting claims made by Donald Trump on Sunday night that talks with Iran would happen the next day. Continue reading...

The Guardian — Politics Aug 3 · 3 min read

Former navy officer criticises Reform plan to use military to stop small boats

Retired commander says policy lacks substance as party accused of trying to distract from Nigel Farage’s scandals UK politics live – latest updates A Reform UK proposal to use the military to stop small boats bringing migrants to the UK from France lacks substance, a former Royal Navy officer has said, suggesting the UK’s warships would be better used countering actual military threats. Reform’s political opponents have claimed its plans have more to do with distracting from the financial scandals surrounding its leader, Nigel Farage, than about solving the small boats issue, after the party proposed having the navy pick up people trying to make irregular Channel crossings and take them to France. Continue reading...

The Guardian — Politics Aug 3 · 7 min read

Criticism of Reform UK’s pledge to use Navy to stop small boats – politics live

Labour say plan is a ‘desperate attempt to distract from sleaze’ while a retired commander says it ‘lacks substance’ The leader of Restore Britain, Rupert Lowe, told the Reform UK leader, Nigel Farage, that if he was “prepared to work together around serious policies, serious reform and serious government, then so are we”. In a video posted on X on Sunday, Lowe said: I truly believe there could be sufficient common ground for our two movements to cooperate collectively, destroy the looming leftwing alliance that will finish off what hope remains for this country. In my view, failing to even try because of our own personal difficulties is simply not an option. Now is the time to put our differences aside and cooperate for the good of the country that we all love. Mass deportation of illegal migrants “including women and children”. Tougher rules on legal migration, a ban on halal and kosher slaughter, the burqa, cousin marriage and sharia courts. A referendum on the death penalty. Welfare cuts to fund “self-sufficiency”. The exclusion of former Tory ministers from any future cabinet. Continue reading...

The Guardian — World Aug 3 · 2 min read

Weather tracker: Austria breaks heat records as Japan braces for Typhoon Dolphin

Soaring temperatures continue to sweep parts of Europe, while Okinawa faces powerful winds and storm surges Europe live – latest updates Unbearable, record-breaking heat has dominated the summer of 2026 across much of Europe. New records were set in central Europe last week, with Wieselburg in Austria registering a new July peak of 40.3C (104.5F). This is particularly significant as it is just 0.2C behind the all-time high, set in the August of 2003. However, not all of the northern hemisphere has experienced extreme heat and aridity. Vancouver recorded its wettest July since 2016 and the third wettest since 2008, with 33.6mm of rain. While that total may not appear exceptional, it is only a touch above the 1991-2020 climate average, highlighting how unusually dry July has been in the Canadian city over the past decade. Continue reading...

The Guardian — US News Aug 3 · 2 min read

Yen hits three-month high after Trump helps prop up currency

US and Japanese governments confirm they carried out a rare joint intervention late last week Why has Trump stepped in to prop up Japan’s currency? Business live – latest updates The yen has hit its highest level in three months after Washington and Tokyo launched a combined operation to support the Japanese currency . The yen strengthened to ¥155 to the US dollar on Monday, its highest level since early May, as the two governments confirmed they had carried out a rare joint currency intervention late last week. Continue reading...

The Guardian — World Aug 3 · 2 min read

Central and southern Europe brace for heatwave – Europe live

Temperatures forecast to reach 37C in Budapest and Vienna as Hungary switches off vital nuclear plant with falling water levels in Danube affecting cooling capabilities The latest heatwave seen in western Europe last week are now moving eastwards, with large parts of central and southern Europe set to experience extreme temperatures near 40C, and putting countries at risk of an energy crunch. Hungary was forced to shut down most of its sole nuclear power plant, which generates a large part of the country’s energy supply, for the first time in 44 years as the drying out of the Danube made it impossible to cool safely. The nuclear plant ‌is expected to be completely powered down later ⁠this week as water levels on the ‌Danube river are projected to fall further. Continue reading...

The Guardian — US News Aug 3 · 3 min read

AstraZeneca holds talks with Bristol Myers Squibb on $400bn merger

Tie-up would be one of the biggest pharmaceutical deals ever and create the world’s fourth-largest drugmaker Business live – latest updates Britain’s biggest drugmaker AstraZeneca is in discussions to take over its US rival Bristol Myers Squibb in a deal that would create a near-$400bn (£300bn) pharmaceutical group. AstraZeneca, run by longtime chief executive Pascal Soriot, is the second-biggest listed company in the UK, with a market value of nearly £196bn. BMS, headquartered in Princeton and known for its cancer treatments, is worth $133bn. Continue reading...

The Guardian — US News Aug 3 · 5 min read

Trump’s hypocritical new tariffs are a chance for the world to fight back | Joseph Stiglitz

The president’s pretext of stopping forced labour is only a ruse – he is trying to grab a share of global trade for the US Here he goes again. The US President, Donald Trump, is increasing and decreasing tariffs willy-nilly, violating international agreements that he himself signed and almost surely violating federal law. The only difference this time is that he has a new pretext for abusing tariffs: stopping forced labour. Of course, the administration is right that too little is being done about forced labour. But its stated concern is a ruse. With the new tariffs closely tracking the ones that Trump imposed on the basis of trade balances, are we supposed to believe that bilateral trade deficits just so happen to be highly correlated with the use of forced labour? Continue reading...

The Guardian — World Aug 3 · 1 min read

Two men seriously injured after Sydney building suddenly collapses

Another five people assessed by ambulance personnel after roof and wall on Wattle St in Ultimo caves in Two people have been pulled from debris after a building in an inner city suburb suddenly collapsed. The men, aged in their 30s and 60s, are in a serious condition after being transported to hospital, Ambulance NSW said on Monday. Continue reading...

The Guardian — World Aug 3 · 3 min read

Alan Jones allegedly gifted cash and car to teenager he kissed after commenting on sprinter’s penis, trial hears

Former 2UE and 2GB radio broadcaster is facing 22 charges. Jones, 85, has pleaded not guilty Alan Jones trial live updates Warning: may contain graphic content A champion athlete who was 14 when he met Alan Jones has told a Sydney court the broadcaster befriended him after he broke a record, and went on to give him a mobile phone, a car and up to $600 a week. Complainant J gave evidence on Monday during the first day of Jones’s indecent assault and sexual touching trial at Sydney local court. Jones, 85, has pleaded not guilty. Continue reading...

The Guardian — World Aug 3 · 4 min read

NHS mental health trust plans £25m in cuts to jobs and services

Body providing care in east London and Bedfordshire accused of ‘unfathomable and unacceptable’ move An NHS mental health trust plans to cut a wide range of its services and axe hundreds of jobs to close a £25m hole in its finances. The move by the East London foundation trust (ELFT) and the scale of potential cuts involved have been called unfathomable given demand for NHS mental health support is rising rapidly. Continue reading...

The Guardian — Politics Aug 3 · 6 min read

Finally, we have a PM for the digital age. But real change requires more than just being good on camera | Nesrine Malik

Connection with voters on screen only pays off when it’s matched with bold policies in the real world – as it has for Zohran Mamdani in New York Andy Burnham is having a good time. I can’t remember the last time a prime minister (or indeed any high-profile British politician) actually looked as though they were enjoying what they were doing. I saw a clip the other day in which Burnham remembered arguing with his dad about the point of an English degree, quoted poetry and discussed the importance of mastering words. It was almost enough to make you feel sorry for Keir Starmer. In his entire time as leader of the Labour party and then the head of the government, Starmer delivered not a single unprocessed moment. No natural sentiment escaped the carapace. And here is his successor, practically oozing it. It matters. It’s good and healthy to have a leader who looks as though they want to be where they are. Whose approach isn’t that of a scold or a receiver who has taken control of the premises, or someone whose sole aim is to tenaciously clamber up to the top job and hold on for dear life. Nesrine Malik is a Guardian columnist Continue reading...

The Guardian — World Aug 3 · 2 min read

Blanche formally rescinds Trump’s $1.8bn ‘anti-weaponization fund’ ahead of nomination hearing

Todd Blanche issues formal order terminating measure widely derided as a ‘slush fund’, in move that could clear path for his nomination as attorney general Acting US attorney general Todd Blanche issued a formal order late on Sunday terminating Donald Trump’s $1.8bn “anti-weaponization fund” to compensate his political allies, a move that follows weeks of negotiations with two Republican senators who were blocking his nomination to become attorney general. While Blanche has repeatedly said publicly that the fund was dead, the justice department had resisted formally confirming that in writing. That had drawn concern from lawmakers that it could be revived in some form, especially after Trump expressed continued support for the idea. Continue reading...

The Guardian — World Aug 3 · 3 min read

New Zealand legislation making English an official language ridiculed as ‘pathetic’

Passing of bill gives English same status as Māori and sign language but, with it already spoken by 95% of country, critics call it ‘a pointless exercise’ Legislation recognising English as an official language of New Zealand has been passed by parliament, prompting derision from linguists and legal experts and a now-viral broadside from a Māori MP who called it “pathetic”. The English language bill became law on 30 July giving English, which is spoken by 95% of the country, the same official status as te reo Māori (Māori language) and New Zealand sign language. Continue reading...