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Politics
Policy, power, and the news of the day.
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Legionnaires’ outbreak rocks New York as experts warn of rising climate threat
Officials say climate crisis ‘worsening our exposure’ to bacteria as at least 28 people sickened in Manhattan A New York outbreak of legionnaires’ disease, a rare but severe form of pneumonia, highlights the microbe’s growing and disproportionate impacts in a warming climate. At least 28 people have been sickened in an outbreak on the Upper East Side, a wealthy neighborhood between Central Park and the East River in Manhattan. Health department officials, seeking to stop the outbreak, have sampled water from nearly 160 building cooling towers to test for the bacteria. Continue reading...
Trump’s consumer protection head has earned grudging respect – but does he have the authority to do his job?
Chris Mufarrige has taken aim at Facebook scams and junk fees, but consumer advocates say he has an uphill climb As the director of the Federal Trade Commission’s consumer protection bureau, Chris Mufarrige is the top enforcer protecting Americans against predatory companies. He’s got an uphill climb, consumer advocates say. Continue reading...
Flight of fancy: San Francisco moves to build private luxury airport terminal
City seeking bids to build and operate separate terminal, following Los Angeles, London and other cities Sick of the TSA lines? Tired of playing musical chairs at the gate? Rather sit as far from your fellow airplane passengers for as long as possible, in the comfort of your own private, luxury airport terminal? Soon you may get your wish. And San Francisco international airport wants to be your genie – for a fee. Continue reading...
US appeals court rejects Trump’s latest bid to delay paying E Jean Carroll $5.8m
US president contested judge’s order to release money after Carroll’s 2023 sexual abuse and defamation trial against him A Manhattan federal appeals court late on Wednesday rejected Donald Trump ’s latest bid to delay the payment of more than $5m to E Jean Carroll following her successful 2023 sexual abuse and defamation trial against him. The US court of appeals for the second circuit made its decision hours after Trump filed paperwork fighting Manhattan federal court judge Lewis Kaplan’s order releasing this money – which has been held in a court-controlled account since June 2023. Trump denies all wrongdoing. Continue reading...
Five pressing questions for Reform UK about its finances
Questions swirl about origins of gifts, loans and donations as even party supporters wonder if it can weather the storm UK politics live – latest updates Why is Farage quitting as an MP, only to stand again? Scrutiny is mounting on Reform UK’s finances. On Tuesday, amid an investigation by parliamentary standards into an undisclosed £5m gift, Nigel Farage announced he would resign and trigger a byelection in his constituency of Clacton-on-Sea. Continue reading...
Germany set to make rental e-scooter operators liable for accidents
Measures would make it easier for victims to seek compensation, with companies such as Bolt and Lime held responsible for damage Victims hit by rental e-scooters on German streets will have an easier time gaining compensation from their operators under legislation due to pass parliament that would put the vehicles on a similar legal footing to cars. The draft law by the right-left coalition government, which has been welcomed by consumer rights advocates, says that given the rapid rise in the use of e-scooters in recent years coupled with high accident rates, rental operators such as Lime and Bolt should be held liable. Continue reading...
LGBTQ+ inclusion in film at a three-year low, Glaad survey suggests
The advocacy group’s Where We Are In Film study finds a decrease in queer people of color and zero trans characters in 2025 films LGBTQ+ characters are slowly disappearing from film in a trend that disproportionately affects LGBTQ+ characters of color, according to a report published today. An annual study of films by Glaad (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) has found that just 46 of 225 films released in 2025 contained LGBTQ+ characters, making only 20.4% of last year’s movies inclusive of the queer community. Continue reading...
‘New terrifying levels’: 10 people fatally shot by immigration officials in Trump’s second term
As Trump’s immigration crackdown continues, Lorenzo Salgado Araujo’s death marks another high-profile killing by ICE officers Early on Tuesday morning, 52-year-old Lorenzo Salgado Araujo took his coffee and a meal his wife had prepared for him, said goodbye to his dog, and left the house he built. He drove his white van, picked up three co-workers, and headed towards a construction site to work on some houses. But Salgado never made it to work. During a “targeted enforcement operation”, officers with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) shot and killed Salgado and arrested the three other men. Continue reading...
Licence to drill? How a Trump-linked Texas oil company is elbowing its way into Greenland
Greenland Energy says billions of barrels of crude lie beneath territory and claims it has exploration permits – a claim flatly denied by Nuuk On 10 June, a snowy-haired American in his 60s addressed the residents of a remote Greenland hamlet. He was there to tell them about a business venture supported by figures linked to Donald Trump. “So,” Robert Price said via an interpreter, “we have a project to drill for oil here.” The Texas oil company that Price represents, Greenland Energy, hopes to prove that billions of barrels of crude lie underground by bringing in 300 shipping containers of drilling kit. Continue reading...
LGBTQ+ cruise ship refused entry to Egypt days after Turkey turned it away
Scarlet Lady’s 2,000 passengers informed of change as one of those onboard pledges to ‘sparkle and spend elsewhere’ A LGBTQ+ cruise ship blocked from Turkish waters earlier this week has been refused entry into Egypt. The Scarlet Lady’s 2,000 passengers, including the Broadway performer Patti LuPone , woke on Thursday morning to find a note placed under their cabin doors informing them that the ship was urgently looking for alternative ports. Continue reading...
Andy Burnham urged to scrap income tax and NI in radical fiscal overhaul
Economists including Jim O’Neill write an open letter calling for a single levy to replace six major taxes Prominent economists including Andy Burnham ally Jim O’Neill, are urging him to pursue radical tax and spending reform, to “unlock the gridlock that plagues the country”. O’Neill joins Jonathan Portes, economics professor at Kings College London, and Danny Sriskandarajah, chief executive of the New Economics Foundation, in calling for bold action in an open letter. Continue reading...
Republicans ask WNBA to protect Caitlin Clark from possible ‘racially motivated’ attacks
Clark has been on the end of hard fouls during career Black players routinely receive racist abuse in WNBA Eleven Republican politicians have written to the WNBA asking the league to protect Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark from “multiple attacks” on court. Clark has been on the receiving end of hard fouls since she entered the league in 2024 after a stellar college career with Iowa. Recently, the Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas hit Clark in the throat during a game. Thomas was not called for a foul at the time but the WNBA later suspended her for one game. Thomas and her family received racist abuse and death threats after the incident. Continue reading...
Species’ ingenious survival strategies no match for human destruction, red list reveals
Newly endangered animals include desert frogs and snails in extreme ocean depths, both threatened by mining Life has colonised every corner of the planet by evolving ingenious survival strategies but these are increasingly being overwhelmed by destructive human activities, this year’s red list of endangered species has revealed. Many snails, limpets and clams have adapted to life at crushing depths in the oceans on hydrothermal vents where water temperatures can reach 450C (842F). But an assessment for the red list found that two-thirds of the hundreds of mollusc species found only on deep sea vents were at risk of extinction because of deep-sea mining . Continue reading...
MPs urge Labour to ditch £330m Palantir software contract with NHS
Cross-party group backs call last month from science and technology committee to look at alternative options A second parliamentary committee has urged Labour to scrap Palantir’s £330m contract with the NHS, increasing pressure on the next prime minister over government deals with the controversial US tech company. MPs on the health and social care select committee want the NHS to cut ties with Palantir and find a replacement for its system, which is supposed to unify and analyse huge amounts of often highly sensitive NHS health data. Continue reading...
First Thing: Second day of US strikes on Iran as Trump says Tehran ‘behaving very badly’
Explosions reported in southern Iran in most extensive exchange of fire since interim ceasefire. Plus the complicated legacy of beat poet Allen Ginsberg Good morning. The US military carried out strikes on Iran for a second day , hours after President Donald Trump said an interim agreement to end the war was “over”. Iranian state media reported explosions in the port city of Bandar Abbas in the strait of Hormuz; in Sirik, another southern coastal city; and the south-western Bushehr province, home to Iran’s nuclear-power-plant complex. US Central Command confirmed the strikes. On Tuesday, three cargo ships transiting the strait of Hormuz were attacked, leading to the most extensive exchange of fire between the two sides since the interim deal was signed last month. At the Nato summit in Ankara yesterday, Trump said: “Anything that happens is going to happen very fast” and that the latest strikes would not result in “long-term” military action. “They are behaving very badly,” Trump said, accusing Iran of launching drones and a missile at ships. What are the economic impacts of the renewed hostilities? US stock markets fell on Wednesday, and Brent crude, the global benchmark for oil prices, jumped more than 5% to crest $80 a barrel. The International Monetary Fund lowered its global economic growth forecast to 3%, citing conflict in the Middle East. Jorge León, the head of geopolitical analysis at Rystad Energy, said : “Tanker traffic through the strait of Hormuz has essentially stopped, which tells you more about risk perception right now than any statement from Washington or Tehran.” Who could replace Platner? Maine Democrats have until 27 July to select a replacement to face Susan Collins in a race widely seen as pivotal to control of the Senate. The state party said it would hold a nominating convention to pick a new candidate. Troy Jackson, Janet Mills, Valli Geiger and Shenna Bellows are among the names in the frame – with Joseph Gedeon profiling them and assessing their prospects in this piece . Continue reading...
US in talks with Fifa over capitalising on World Cup success with 2029 Club World Cup
US officials have held talks with Fifa over tournament Unclear whether White House has been involved The United States has expressed interest in hosting the 2029 Club World Cup as it seeks to capitalise on the commercial and sporting success of staging the World Cup. Fifa has held talks with US officials about its plans for 2029, but the World Cup co-hosts have yet to commit to a bid because the details of the selection process have not been confirmed. Continue reading...
Invest in Britain or I’ll force you to, minister tells pension funds
Business secretary Peter Kyle says asset managers should feel a patriotic duty to make the UK a success Business live – latest updates The business secretary, Peter Kyle , has warned UK pension funds to “get off their high horses” and invest in Britain or be forced to do so by law. Expressing frustration at the level of investment in British companies after years of government initiatives, Kyle said the UK’s biggest asset managers “should feel a patriotic duty in making Britain a success”. Continue reading...
Mosque effigy on loyalist bonfire in Northern Ireland condemned as ‘vile’
Amnesty calls pyre – due to be burned on Friday in Moygashel – ‘blatant attempt to stir up anti-Muslim hatred’ A loyalist bonfire in Northern Ireland featuring an effigy of a mosque has been condemned as an incitement to hatred. The effigy sits atop a tower of pallets that is to be burned on Friday night in the County Tyrone village of Moygashel as part of wider loyalist commemorations. Placards beneath the display read “secure our borders” and “end the threat of radical Islam”. Continue reading...
Wimbledon 2026: Muchova v Gauff, Kostyuk v Noskova semi-final updates – live
Updates from Thursday’s semi-final action in SW19 Wimbledon Q&A with Tumaini Carayol | Mail Katy In the meantime: if you’ve got any questions for our tennis correspondent Tumaini Carayol – from Fery’s ridiculous run to predictions for the final weekend and whether Britain (Fery aside) is underachieving in the game – he’s online right now: Hello! And welcome to women’s semi-finals day, where it’s a case of no Sabalenka, no Rybakina, no Swiatek, no Andreeva, absolutely no problem, because we’ve got two absorbing match-ups: Coco Gauff v Karolina Muchova and Marta Kostyuk v Linda Noskova. Continue reading...
US and Iran trade most intense strikes since ceasefire extended
At least 14 people killed in Iran in overnight attacks as Trump declares the agreement ‘over’ Middle East crisis live – latest updates The US launched airstrikes against Iran overnight on Thursday, killing at least 14 people, while Tehran responded by hitting Gulf countries in the most intense exchange of fire since a shaky ceasefire was extended last month. The tit-for-tat strikes on Thursday were the largest since Tehran and Washington signed a memorandum of understanding on 17 June aimed at extending the ceasefire and giving space for negotiations for a permanent truce. Continue reading...
Brian Potter, British songwriter behind hits for Glen Campbell, Take That and more, dies aged 87
Versatile Essex-born hitmaker known for Rhinestone Cowboy, It Only Takes a Minute and many more had been living with Alzheimer’s disease Brian Potter, one of the most versatile and successful British producers and songwriters of his generation, has died aged 87. He had been living with Alzheimer’s disease in recent years, his daughter told Billboard. Working with American songwriting partner Dennis Lambert, the Essex-born Potter was behind an astounding array of 1970s hits spanning pop, soul, soft rock, country and beyond. The best-known include Glen Campbell’s Rhinestone Cowboy, a US No 1 in 1975; It Only Takes a Minute, a barnstorming disco hit for Tavares and later Take That; Player’s super-smooth Baby Come Back, another US No 1; and Ain’t No Woman (Like the One I’ve Got), one of the biggest hits for soul-poppers the Four Tops. Continue reading...
EU’s ‘unpleasant and dangerous’ border checks need overhaul, says Greek airports boss
Airports have had to use gazebos to shield passengers from sun as they wait to be processed, says Alexander Zinell The boss of 14 Greek airports has called for a serious overhaul of the EU’s new border checks, after being forced to erect gazebos for passengers to cope with queues. The chief executive of Fraport Greece, Alexander Zinell, joined a growing chorus of critics calling out “fundamental flaws” in the entry-exit system (EES), which requires non-EU passengers to have their fingerprints and photo taken at the start of the their trip and verified every time they leave or re-enter the Schengen zone. Continue reading...
‘His legacy is cringe’: how Charlie Kirk became a punchline among the young - even his supporters
Crude memes of the Maga luminary are exploding online – less than a year after conservatives were suppressing any slander against him Ten months since his assassination, Charlie Kirk’s name and likeness are still proliferating online. Just not the way the far-right activist would have wanted. Audio of the gunshot that killed him has become a TikTok meme, as have ironic reposts of the apparent AI-slop song We Are Charlie Kirk, which was originally created as a posthumous tribute. He was the butt of a crude joke during the Netflix roast of Hollywood star Kevin Hart in May. The next month, a viral tweet encouraged people to take “a shot” in his honor on Juneteenth. And a trend known as “Kirkification” has emerged, in which internet pranksters superimpose his face on to unlikely images, such as the Mona Lisa , a woman in a bikini, or Jeffrey Epstein . Continue reading...
Labour MPs to rebel on political funding reforms, demanding tougher measures
Exclusive: Demands include ban on cryptocurrency donations after controversies over Nigel Farage funding UK politics live – latest updates Labour MPs are to rebel next week over the government’s reforms to political funding, pushing ministers to introduce tougher measures including a ban on cryptocurrency donations and much lower spending limits. MPs on the all-party, anti-corruption group are canvassing support for four amendments to the representation of the people bill that would significantly tighten the government’s plans. Continue reading...