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Politics
Policy, power, and the news of the day.
3090 stories archived
Packers beat Panthers as Green Bay’s Christian Watson returns after mid-game hospital visit
Carolina Panthers 19-27 Green Bay Packers Packers WR has 113 receiving yards despite injury Jordan Love threw three touchdown passes, Josh Jacobs scored twice and the Green Bay Packers withstood three turnovers to beat the Carolina Panthers 27-19 on Thursday night. Love went 30 of 41 for 288 yards with touchdown passes to Tucker Kraft, Matthew Golden and Jacobs plus an interception. Although he rushed for only 39 yards on 21 carries against the NFL’s lowest-ranked run defense, Jacobs scored on a four-yard catch and one-yard run for the Packers (5-3). Continue reading...
Feral deer will become Australia’s next feral pig problem without prompt action, report warns
The invasive species has increased in spread and numbers and is costing farmers millions of dollars Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast An unpublished government report on feral deer shows Australia is failing in its efforts to stop the spread of what one advocate warns could become “Australia’s next feral pig ”. The five years from 2020-2025 over which the national feral deer action plan was assessed covers a period in which the famously elusive species has increasingly encroached upon major cities, leading to more frequent encounters – including a memorable occasion in which two men in various degrees of undress were fined after becoming lost in the bush when they were spooked by deer while nude sunbathing . Continue reading...
China expels a record number from Communist party amid Xi’s intensified purges of top officials
The unprecedented number of empty seats at the fifth plenum – a symbol of expulsions – serve as a symbol for the scale of the purges under Xi Jinping China expelled a record number of officials from the Chinese Communist party (CCP) as it concluded a major political gathering , which saw an unprecedented number of empty seats indicating the scale of the purges under Xi Jinping. A record 33 members were expelled at this week’s fifth plenum, a gathering of top officials that takes place roughly once a year. Continue reading...
Sam Wood makes fresh bail bid over domestic violence charges as court hears of ‘party lifestyle’ and alleged anger issues
Former Bachelor star and wellness influencer stands accused of choking and assaulting wife at Noosa in Queensland Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast A Queensland court has heard claims that former Bachelor star Sam Wood used drugs and alcohol, engaged in a “party lifestyle” and that he “struggles with anger”, as Wood makes a second bid for bail on domestic violence charges Wood, 46, from Melbourne, has been held in custody since his arrest on 4 October at Noosa. He was initially denied bail over allegations he choked and assaulted his wife, Snezana Wood, while the family was holidaying on the Sunshine Coast. He is charged with two domestic violence offences: assault occasioning bodily harm and strangulation in a domestic setting. Continue reading...
Former Sydney childcare worker Ashley Paul Griffith hit with 202 more abuse charges
NSW police say charges include child rape and relate to 23 alleged victims aged between one and five at a Sydney childcare centre Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast One of Australia’s most notorious paedophiles is facing hundreds more child abuse charges, including for the alleged rape of children as young as one. Days after being extradited from Queensland to NSW, Ashley Paul Griffith, 48, was hit with 202 charges dating from between 2014 and 2017, with police labelling the allegations “deeply disturbing”. Continue reading...
El Niño-driven drought in Papua New Guinea a ‘national crisis’ as rivers dry up and local farms fail
As many as 8 million people have been affected by food shortages, electricity blackouts and health clinic closures Extreme drought driven by an historic El Niño is affecting as many as 8 million people in Papua New Guinea, causing a cascade of issues from shortages of food and water, to electricity scarcity and schooling disruption. An influential coalition that includes churches, trade unions and business groups has said the Pacific nation is in the midst of a “national crisis”, but there appears to be “no coordinated plan to protect vulnerable communities from the worsening impacts of El Niño.” Continue reading...
California high-speed rail chief quits amid billowing expenses scandal
Ian Choudri resigns after report found agency overseeing troubled LA-San Francisco project misused over $600,000 in public funds The chief executive of California’s embattled high-speed rail authority abruptly resigned on Wednesday, over a month after a state watchdog determined the agency had misused public funds. In September, California’s office of the inspector general released an investigative report finding that the rail authority had paid $543,000 in travel-related reimbursements for consultants that were not allowed, including international or out-of-state travel expenses. Continue reading...
Vivek Ramaswamy discontinues attack ad that prompted wave of revulsion
Candidate for Ohio governor confirms campaign no longer airing ad that smeared rival and was defended by Trump Vivek Ramaswamy, the Republican nominee for Ohio governor, confirmed on Thursday that his campaign is no longer airing an attack ad that features the estranged mother of his Democratic opponent, Amy Acton. The ad prompted a wave of revulsion since Acton’s mother, Donna Arthur, lost custody of her daughter in 1978, when her second husband, Cledith Arthur, was charged with raping her daughter between the ages of 10 and 12. Continue reading...
Antisemitism envoy proposes ‘external ombudsman’ to monitor ABC and SBS coverage of Israel and Middle East
Jillian Segal says perception of link between coverage of conflicts and hostility towards Jewish Australians ‘is itself a matter of public importance’ Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast The federal government’s anti-semitism envoy has proposed an “external independent ombudsman” to monitor ABC and SBS coverage of the war in Gaza, as well as codes for arts organisations to limit “personal political or ideological activism”. In an updated plan released on Friday , Jillian Segal said Australia’s two public broadcasters should be subjected to greater oversight. Continue reading...
World’s largest crypto exchange investigating reports of potential hack
Binance said the extent of damages was not known and had not confirmed whether funds had been pilfered Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, said on Thursday it is investigating reports of a potential security issue as its founder said the incident “does look like a hack on Binance”. It wasn’t immediately clear the extent of the damage hackers might have been able to accomplish and Binance had not explicitly confirmed that funds had been pilfered, but stablecoin issuers quickly froze funds Thursday evening. Continue reading...
Manosphere and online misogyny should be treated as public health issues, say UK experts
Report calls for an effort to tackle harms in similar way to obesity and smoking, and stresses need to ‘offer boys something better’ The manosphere and online misogyny should be treated by the government as a public health issue, in the same way as obesity or smoking, experts have said. Writing in the Lancet, the authors of a new report argue that a coordinated response is needed, involving governments, schools, health services and community organisations, similar to the public-health response to tobacco use and ultra-processed food. Continue reading...
Polymarket temporarily suspends trading on international platform due to security incident
Security incident linked to performance-monitoring tool spurred platform to halt trading for about an hour Polymarket temporarily halted trading on its international platform on Thursday because of a security incident that compromised a third-party provider, the company said. Trading was paused for about an hour and resumed on Thursday afternoon. The company has promised to fully reimburse any affected traders. Continue reading...
More than half of Victorian lawyers use AI – but only a quarter have cut client fees as a result
Research finds 55% of lawyers are using AI in legal practices, up from 37% last year, though efficiency gains aren’t as high as expected Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast More than half of Victoria’s lawyers have reported using AI in their work, according to a new study, but just over a quarter say they’ve reduced fees as a result of efficiency gains. They also say clients seeking advice from chatbots has added to their workload, forcing them to correct errors made by AI. Continue reading...
Erin Patterson appeal live updates: mushroom murderer to learn fate in retrial bid
Court of appeal is set to rule on the two appeals from 10am in the high profile Australian mushroom triple-murder case Erin Patterson to learn if she could face retrial or longer jail term In August, the court heard Erin Patterson should have been given no possibility of ever being released from prison, or a non-parole period so lengthy that she was likely to die behind bars. Her lawyers argued seven grounds for her appeal, including that allowing jurors to stay in the same hotel as police and the prosecution while they deliberated over their verdicts in the triple murder trial represented a “catastrophic” failure of the justice system. Continue reading...
Hegseth reportedly fires high-ranking army strategist over alleged leaks
Pentagon says it has referred leak case to justice department for criminal investigation The US defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, has reportedly dismissed Lt Gen Brett Sylvia, a high-ranking army strategist serving on the Pentagon’s joint staff, following allegations that he disclosed classified information to the public. The Pentagon announced on Thursday that it had referred an alleged information leak case for criminal investigation, maintaining that the removal of the senior general was essential “to protect sensitive information”, the Washington Post reported. Continue reading...
DHS cites risk to more than 40,000 personnel in effort to take leaked data offline
The Department of Homeland Security asked an Icelandic hosting company to take down data obtained through hack The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) asked an Icelandic hosting company on Thursday to take down or limit access to data related to thousands of agency personnel, saying the content put them at risk, according to the request posted online by hosting company FlokiNET. The database “places more than 40,000 identifiable individuals at risk of harassment, stalking and physical harm”, the request said. Continue reading...
DoJ reportedly issues subpoenas over same name Alaska candidates
Democrat Mary Peltola’s campaign allegedly collaborated with party operatives to confuse voters in midterms The US justice department on Thursday is reported to have issued subpoenas in response to a report that the Alaska Democrat Mary Peltola’s campaign collaborated with party operatives to get a challenger with the same name as the Republican senator Dan Sullivan on the midterm ballot. ABC News reported the subpoenas, citing sources familiar with the matter. The federal investigation comes a day after the New York Times found that the effort to recruit a second candidate named Dan Sullivan in the Senate race set to be decided on Tuesday was led by Peltola’s campaign, which had for months denied involvement. Continue reading...
Healey backs away from cutting welfare cost despite warnings of public finance shortfall
Experts round on chancellor over ‘scattergun’ budget, saying he ducked big tax and spending decisions John Healey has backed away from cutting the cost of welfare this parliament, amid dire warnings his first budget could lead to brutal spending cuts because of a £28bn shortfall in public finances. Experts rounded on Healey’s steady-as-she-goes budget on Thursday, with the Institute for Fiscal Studies saying he had left himself a mountain to climb by ducking big tax and spending decisions. Continue reading...
Patrick Stewart, titan of stage and screen, dies aged 86
Star Trek and X-Men actor died at his home after ‘a brief and poignant journey with Alzheimer’s disease and Lewy body dementia’ Patrick Stewart, the acclaimed British stage and screen actor renowned for both Shakespeare and sci-fi, has died. He was 86. The Star Trek: the Next Generation and X-Men star died on Wednesday at his home in Los Angeles after “a brief and poignant journey with Alzheimer’s disease and Lewy body dementia”, said Kelly Bush Novak, his longtime spokesperson, to the Hollywood Reporter . Continue reading...
JD Vance letter may offer last chance to avert fresh conflict between US and Iran
US vice-president writes to top Iranian security official in sign Washington has not abandoned diplomacy Hopes of averting a major new conflagration between Iran and the US soon after Tuesday’s midterm elections could rest on Iran’s response to a personal letter from the US vice-president, JD Vance, offering to restart diplomacy. The letter, written after predominantly Qatari mediation, was sent to the secretary of Iran’s supreme national security council, Mohsen Rezaei on Sunday. It requires Tehran to agree to make commitments on its nuclear programme at the start of a process that would lead to the opening of the strait of Hormuz within seven days in return for US sanctions relief. Continue reading...
Seven oil tankers carrying 288,000 tonnes of Russian diesel sail towards US
Tankers, tracked by Greenpeace, are first phase of Trump-Putin deal – but there is uncertainty over whether they will unload Seven oil tankers carrying an estimated 288,000 tonnes of Russian diesel are now sailing towards the US, though it is uncertain if the vessels will be able to unload amid a political row about the legality of the shipments. The transport, tracked by the pressure group Greenpeace , is the first phase of a contentious supply deal negotiated between presidents Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin earlier this month, reversing years of sanctions on Russia oil. Continue reading...
Dream serve up lunchtime rout of Valkyries to force historic WNBA finals Game 7
Dream win 80-69 to level best-of-seven series at 3-3 First Game 7 in WNBA history set for Saturday night Ella Brockway’s minute-by-minute report of Game 6 The Atlanta Dream had no intention of letting a matinee become their curtain call. Facing elimination at a lunchtime tipoff, the Dream overwhelmed the Golden State Valkyries 80-69 on Thursday afternoon to force a decisive seventh game in the WNBA finals, rediscovering their offensive touch just as their championship hopes were threatening to slip away. Continue reading...
The Guardian view on a changing Brexit debate: Kemi Badenoch is trapped in denial | Editorial
The prime minister’s ambitions might be ambiguous, but unlike the Conservative leader, he is following voters and the facts British politics is still polarised around Brexit, although 10 years on from the referendum, the terms of debate are very different. Or they should be. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 has moved discussions of European solidarity from the realm of abstraction to a matter of urgent defence partnership. Donald Trump’s presidency in the US, marked by scorn for European democracies and indulgence of Vladimir Putin , has undermined confidence that Britain can rely on any “special relationship” with Washington. Under these circumstances, it would be absurd to deny that a reappraisal of Brexit is in order. The prime minister acknowledged this in his speech at the Labour party conference last month, calling for a national conversation about the future relationship with every option, including rejoining, on the table. The Eurosceptic opposition are having none of it. The Conservative leader, Kemi Badenoch, accuses the government of stirring division by raising the European question. She told MPs this week that Labour should thank the Tories for the Brexit deal they negotiated. Continue reading...
The Guardian view on online harms: Ofcom is failing at its job | Editorial
Expressions of disappointment are not an adequate response to the concerning lack of safety improvements for children on social media One thing is clear following last week’s report from the media regulator, Ofcom: the mammoth task of protecting children from online harms has barely begun. Campaigners said that they were dismayed but not surprised that the proportion of children viewing harmful content has stayed the same despite a raft of measures in the Online Safety Act designed to protect them. Research showed that high-priority material including pornography and self-harm, as well as a broader category covering bullying, abuse and the promotion of violence, continued to be encountered regularly in the nine months after new safety duties came into force. The regulator found that personalised feeds were the main way that such content was presented, and noted that such feeds show different material to boys and girls. Suicide and self-harm content were more commonly seen by girls and children with special educational needs or disabilities. In a grim irony, Ofcom’s report appeared one day after a coroner in Norfolk ruled that suicide imagery viewed on TikTok “may have played a significant part” in the decision by a 14-year-old girl to take her own life in May. Continue reading...