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Politics
Policy, power, and the news of the day.
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Trump is determined to pursue his trade war – and he may be difficult to stop
The president’s minions have trawled the statutes to restore roadblocks to trade. The invocation of Smoot-Hawley looks especially dangerous Donald Trump may have found the killer weapon to punish countries at will: by imposing tariffs on their exports to the United States. The president has been looking for a new tool since February, when the supreme court struck down tariffs he slapped on virtually all of America’s trading partners based on the International Economic Emergency Powers Act, or IEEPA, on the spurious grounds that the US faced a variety of national emergencies. It’s become a parlor game among policy wonks to predict what new legal justification he would deploy to replace them. Eduardo Porter is a journalist focused on economics and politics. He writes the newsletter Being There on Substack Continue reading...
For most US small businesses, Trump’s tariffs aren’t the big issue they were
Tariffs are annoying and disruptive, but this round is less impactful – and business owners are taking them in their stride Rebounding from his defeat at the supreme court in February, Donald Trump has recently announced a new round of tariffs, invoking sections of various trade acts to levy amounts on industries and countries based on reasons ranging from “forced labor” to “excess capacity”. And how are small and medium-sized businesses in the US reacting? One word: snoozefest. Continue reading...
Can Mamdani plan for city-owned stores deliver cheap food for New Yorkers?
Food costs have soared but existing businesses fear unfair competition and programs elsewhere yielded mixed results Carlos Collado, a Dominican immigrant who owns five independent grocery stores in the Bronx and Manhattan, has succeeded over the last three decades despite obstacles that he blames on local and state governance. His stores have faced an increase in shoplifting, he said. The city has provided tax benefits to big corporations that opened grocery stores and took business away from his. Continue reading...
Decades on from the US’s disastrous campaign in Afghanistan, Trump is making all the same mistakes | Simon Tisdall
The president has blundered into a ‘forever war’ with Iran he can’t win, but refuses to end. Such hubris has a long history It’s five years this month since the chaotic retreat of US forces from Kabul. The Nato-backed invasion and occupation of Afghanistan, launched after the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks on New York City and Washington DC, is now widely regarded as a failure. It cost the lives of more than 2,400 US and 450 British troops, and tens of thousands of civilians (the exact number is unknown). Although al-Qaida terrorists were routed, their Taliban hosts reimposed repressive, misogynistic Islamist rule after regaining power in 2021. Afghanistan became a byword for ill-considered western interventionism and nation-building. It was the archetypal “forever war”, a phrase first coined during Vietnam . If this cautionary tale had any lasting value, it was as a deterrent to politicians and generals tempted to rashly embark on open-ended conflicts without just cause, defined, achievable aims, and an exit strategy. Dismayingly, the forever war lesson had to be learned all over again in Iraq, which the US and UK invaded in 2003 and departed, having caused huge harm for scant benefit, in 2011. “Never again!” was the passionate cry at the time and since. And yet, it seems, the same disastrous pattern is now repeating after Donald Trump’s incomprehensibly foolish decision to attack Iran. A war he termed a “ little excursion ” is entering its sixth month and has been escalating rapidly . It, too, has a forever feel. Continue reading...
Why Andy Burnham’s devolution pledge will be tricky to deliver
Sharing income tax with England’s regional mayors could tackle inequality but many councils are ill-equipped for an enlarged role On the road to Downing Street, Andy Burnham promised to transfer power from Westminster to every postcode in the country. After his first two weeks in office, the size and complexity of this project are becoming clearer. With a date set for the autumn budget , thework of filling in the detail that will underpin his devolution plans begins – starting with his proposal to hand England’s regional mayors a share of income tax to support local economic development. Continue reading...
Robert Lewandowski strikes twice for Chicago Fire in MLS win over Charlotte
Poland striker scores double on his home MLS debut Messi returns as Inter Miami draw 2-2 with Columbus Robert Lewandowski scored two goals on his home debut as the Chicago Fire eked out a 2-1 victory over Charlotte FC on Saturday. The win is Chicago’s first in Major League Soccer since the end of the international break. Lewandowski, signed in late June as a free agent, produced a vintage performance to help the Fire (9-6-2, 29 points) close an ever-narrowing gap with the Eastern Conference’s top three clubs. Charlotte (7-7-4, 25pts) has now lost four of its last five road matches. Continue reading...
As retired US judges, we’re not used to speaking out. But we cannot be silent | Michael P Donnelly and Robert F Orr
We joined a recent bus tour of 30 judges, lawyers and advocates fighting not for any partisan aim, but for the rule of law itself Last October, US lawyers, judges and rule-of-law advocates traveled to Warsaw as guests of the Carter Center. Neither of us was among them. But when our colleagues returned, their stories inspired us. They told us about judges and lawyers across central Europe who had been surveilled, smeared, prosecuted and sometimes jailed for standing between political power and courts meant to remain independent. Continue reading...
US officials focus on identification and rapid action as measles cases rise
Authorities in Delaware tackle cluster with vaccination and contract tracing – but field has been weakened by cuts Measles outbreaks are igniting throughout the United States as the nation passes the highest case count in 30 years – putting greater pressure on state and local health departments and highlighting the importance of early identification and quick action. The US has officially surpassed last year’s tally of measles cases, reaching 2,371 confirmed infections by the end of July. Those numbers have been driven by clusters in Arizona, South Carolina, and Utah – but in times of high transmission, outbreaks elsewhere become more likely. And with decreasing vaccination rates across the country, these sparks are falling on increasingly dry timber. Continue reading...
July set to be driest on record for England and Wales after relentless heatwaves
Climate scientist urges better planning as southern England had just 1% of long-term average rainfall last month Half of England and the whole of Wales are officially in drought and July is set to be the driest month on record as extreme heat intensified by the climate crisis continues to grip the UK and Europe this summer. The announcements this week by England’s Environment Agency and Natural Resources Wales mark the third such event over the past five years, and come in the wake of four record-breaking heatwaves since May which have fuelled huge wildfires and left farmers, wildlife and protected habitats running out of water. Continue reading...
Multiple people dead after shooting at In-N-Out Burger restaurant in Idaho – video
Three people were killed and seven more injured, some critically, in a shooting at an In-N-Out Burger restaurant in southern Idaho on Saturday afternoon. The Twin Falls police chief, Matthew Hicks, said on Saturday that police were working to determine the shooter’s identity and motive, and interviewing witnesses Shooting at In-N-Out Burger restaurant in Idaho leaves three people dead Continue reading...
Family to sue after woman released from ICE custody froze to death
Exclusive: Daphy Michel, from Haiti, was dropped off in Pittsburgh in 20F temperatures wearing summer clothes ‘She showed love for everyone’: how did Daphy Michel end up frozen to death in a Pittsburgh bus shelter? The family of a Haitian immigrant who froze to death in early March at a bus shelter in Pittsburgh after she was dropped off in the city by Immigration and Customs Enforcement ( ICE ) is poised to file a lawsuit this month against the United States and “multiple other governmental and non-governmental entities”, the Guardian has learned. Daphy Michel, 31, had been in county jail for six months after a reported mental health crisis and street incident, and then was arrested by ICE before being released with a ankle monitor. Continue reading...
Democrats face most contentious – and crucial – test yet with Michigan primary
Voters are faced with the thorny question of electability: who can win this purple state in November and potentially push Democrats toward a US Senate majority? At Chad Green’s house in Davison, Michigan, a brood of baby chicks roamed around the idyllic green lawn as US senators pitched a couple dozen voters on why they should turn out for the hopeful one, Abdul El-Sayed. Green, a retired federal firefighter, hosted a similar small gathering for Mallory McMorrow, who was running for the US Senate before she dropped out of the race in early July, narrowing the contest to El-Sayed, a progressive insurgent campaigning for universal healthcare, and US representative Haley Stevens, who has branded herself as a workhorse. Continue reading...
‘She showed love for everyone’: how did Daphy Michel end up frozen to death in a Pittsburgh bus shelter?
Haitian immigrant with mental illness found dead after ICE released her in 20F weather wearing summer clothes Family to sue after woman released from ICE custody froze to death On the night of 26 February this year, the Michel family in Pennsylvania expected to see their loved one, Daphy, again very soon. After she had spent six months in jail, a judge had dismissed criminal charges against her and one of her brothers was told she would be released soon, probably the next day. Continue reading...
Stock market turmoil sheds stark light on the opaque AI economy
Investors scramble to make sense of a shock Chinese challenge to the dominance of western chipmakers Even for the rollercoaster world of AI, last week was particularly volatile as investors scrambled to keep up with developments that threatened the dominance of the largest western chipmakers. It began with a double whammy. On Monday, the Chinese memory chipmaker CXMT floated on the Shanghai stock market, soaring by 466% in value to 3.3tn yuan (£365bn). Continue reading...
Queensland reveals concept plans for Brisbane Olympic stadium precinct – but critics say they are ‘fantasy vision’
David Crisafulli says ‘Queenslanders will enjoy for generations’ as opponents point to lack of detail Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast The Queensland government has released new concept images for a parkland precinct to surround the 2032 Olympic stadium, as it seeks to quell concern at the loss of Brisbane’s largest inner-city parkland. But opponents of the plans – now entering the early construction phase – to build a stadium at Brisbane’s Victoria Park say the concept images are a “fantasy vision” with no detail, and which overlook the likely need for carparks, roads, transport links and plazas to accommodate large crowds. Continue reading...
‘We cannot magic up more water’: the supply problems putting housing targets in England at risk
Council leaders say crumbling infrastructure and lack of water are jeopardising government’s plans for new homes The government’s housebuilding agenda is hitting the stark reality of a lack of water and crumbling infrastructure across the east and south-east of England. Half the country was declared to be in serious drought this week, for the second consecutive year, with the Environment Agency warning of dire consequences for the economy, environment and wildlife. Continue reading...
Hitting the right note: apolitical animals or European heroes for new euro designs?
The EU is using a currency redesign as an opportunity to be less neutral and try some finely balanced identity-building Is Europe best represented by the bold intellect of Marie Curie, the sprawling imagination of Miguel de Cervantes and the intense musical genius of Ludwig van Beethoven? Or by a migrating stork and a bee-eater, swooping across borderless plains and enjoying freedom of movement across European countries? The quest to settle this issue has engaged a surprising number of people across the continent, after more than 6 million people voted in a survey within just a week of its launch to determine whether the newly redesigned euro bank notes should depict either cultural figures or birds and waterways. Continue reading...
UK’s state investments agency hit by data breach
Security lapse leaves sensitive information and contact details of 51 government officials exposed for 40 hours The public body in charge of the UK’s state investments has been pushed to improve its internal security after a data breach left “high-level management information” publicly accessible for nearly two days. UK Government Investments (UKGI), the agency that manages the taxpayers’ interest in a swathe of companies including Channel 4 and the Post Office, said the security failure also left more than 50 government officials’ personal details exposed for nearly 40 hours. Continue reading...
EVs and hybrids approach half of Australian new car sales amid ongoing fuel crisis
Australians bought EVs and hybrids at nearly same rate as petrol cars between April and June, Australian Automobile Association data shows Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast Australians are now buying electric and hybrid vehicles at the same rate as traditional petrol-powered cars, according to new data that shows EV sales doubled in the months after the peak of the fuel price spike. Fuel prices are again on track to top $2 a litre , after the federal government’s fuel excise reductions – introduced to offset the impact of the ongoing crisis in the Middle East – come to an end on Sunday. Continue reading...
Undercover police unit closed down over unjustified surveillance, spycops inquiry told
Senior officer behind closure says SDS caused ‘incalculable harm’ by infiltrating groups that posed no threat An undercover police unit that spied on tens of thousands of political activists had to be shut down amid severe criticisms and recriminations, the spycops public inquiry has heard. Jon Boutcher, a senior police officer who took over responsibility for the Special Demonstration Squad (SDS) unit, concluded within months that it had to be wound up because it was conducting unjustified surveillance and was badly run. Continue reading...
‘This is where democracy beats totalitarianism’: Ukraine’s drone strike force takes the fight to Russia
Exclusive: At a launch site in the Ukrainian countryside, members of the elite ‘Magyar’s Birds’ brigade are turning Russia’s vast size into a weakness Sparrows were cheeping as the sun set over a field of tall yellow sunflowers when a moped-like growl suddenly disturbed the evening calm. The noise rose, dipped, and rose again. Lt Col Ray – a Ukrainian commander with the 414th aviation brigade – took cover in a leafy ditch. Seconds later a Ukrainian drone roared into a mauve sky. It jerked upwards at a 45-degree angle, orange flames fizzing, and then motored serenely onwards. The flying object resembled a sleek grey biplane with a wooden propeller and tail. It left behind clouds of billowing black smoke and a whiff of gunpowder. Continue reading...
Trump climbs down on Iran strikes after Saudi alarm and threats from Tehran
President claims delay is ‘subject to being able to rapidly make a deal’ as intervention by Saudi crown prince is revealed and Iran warns neighbours Donald Trump said on Saturday night that the US would hold off on any new strikes on Iran provided a deal to end the months-long conflict is quickly reached – marking the president’s latest climbdown from extravagant threats to hit the Tehran regime hard. The Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman called Trump on Saturday to express concerns about his strike plans, it was reported. Trump’s reversal also came after Iran threatened to retaliate decisively against its neighbours in the event of US strikes, while Kuwait reported being hit by Iranian drones on Saturday and two ships were attacked off Oman in the strait of Hormuz. Continue reading...
Anti-LGBTQ+ laws are on the rise across west Africa, campaigners warn
Activists in the region say politicians regard LGBTQ+ people as ‘the easiest scapegoats to maintain their power’ A growing number of west African countries are implementing or strengthening anti-LGBTQ+ laws, amid local political pressures and a global pushback against LGBTQ+ rights. In March, Senegal doubled the maximum prison sentence for gay sex to 10 years and criminalised the “promotion” of homosexuality. Niger criminalised “sexual relations with a person of the same sex” in February, the first time same-sex intimacy had been outlawed in the country. Continue reading...
Shooting at In-N-Out Burger restaurant in Idaho leaves multiple people dead, police say
Police chief says the shooter is among the dead in ‘very chaotic scene’ near busy shopping area in Twin Falls A shooting at an In-N-Out Burger restaurant in southern Idaho on Saturday afternoon left multiple people dead and others injured, police said. The shooter was among the dead, Twin Falls police chief Matthew Hicks said in a news conference. Police were still trying to determine the shooter’s identity and motive. Continue reading...