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Politics
Policy, power, and the news of the day.
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New pipeline in Canada to proceed after C$150bn pledged to ease BC and First Nations concerns
Port expansion and protections for whales part of BC and Alberta plan to expand country’s presence overseas The governments of Canada and the province of Alberta will move forward on a major new oil pipeline after the pair announced a plan to ease concerns of British Columbia and First Nations on the Pacific coast. Canada’s prime minister, Mark Carney, shuttled between British Columbia and Alberta on Thursday to announce more than C$150bn in new investments in both provinces, part of a broader project of reducing trade with the United States and expanding his country’s presence in overseas markets. Continue reading...
Is Andy Burnham dodging scrutiny, or is he just a different type of communicator?
Avoiding traditional questions and stilted broadcast clips, incoming PM has evolved his style of media management He is due to become prime minister in just over a fortnight as parliament begins its six-week summer break. But at a marquee speech this week , he took precisely zero questions. So is Andy Burnham, as opposition leader Kemi Badenoch claims, dodging scrutiny? His allies say no: he is simply going about it in his own way. The former Greater Manchester mayor is very obviously a different type of communicator from Keir Starmer, and thus always likely to convey his message in methods beyond Starmer’s traditional questions after a speech and the occasional stilted broadcast clip. Continue reading...
Cold feet and cooling prices: Australia’s property market is transforming – and first home buyers aren’t biting
Exclusive: Data shows buyers are not rushing to get into the market, despite lower prices and less competition Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast First home buyers are starting to step back and investor demand is slumping in all areas except new property, as Australia’s housing market enters a downturn. Research shows the market is transforming, nearly two months on from a third consecutive interest rate rise and sweeping tax reforms. Continue reading...
Freed Rochdale grooming gang leader was judged ‘high risk’ to children in 2023
Exclusive: Shabir Ahmed, jailed in 2012 for rape, abuse and trafficking of girls, was deemed three years ago to present ‘high risk of sexual offending’ The leader of the Rochdale grooming gang was deemed to pose a “very high risk of serious harm” towards children just three years ago, the Guardian can reveal. Shabir Ahmed, 73, was freed from HMP Leeds on Thursday despite three failed attempts to secure parole, the most recent of which was in October 2024. One document, relating to a previous review in 2023, shows Ahmed was seen to present a “high risk of sexual offending”. Continue reading...
One Nation is campaigning directly to Christians. But will party policies rub against worshippers’ conscience?
Anti-abortion policies may have appeal, but with one in three Australian churchgoers born overseas, talk of a monoculture may put them off Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast When One Nation recruit Barnaby Joyce addressed anti-abortion campaigners at a Sydney rally in early June, the former deputy prime minister told the audience he could see “about 1,500 people who can hand out how to vote cards”. Christian leaders spoke at the rally. The Lord’s Prayer was recited. Many there were active churchgoers. Continue reading...
NSW government ‘absolutely thrilled’ to welcome OpenAI ... until someone mentioned the Terminator films
Emails sent between MP Anoulak Chanthivong’s staff take cautious approach to AI giant arriving in Sydney – despite the government’s encouragement Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast The NSW technology minister’s office removed a reference to being “absolutely thrilled” about OpenAI opening a Sydney office after staffers joked a dystopian Skynet could be headed for the city within five years. Artificial intelligence giant OpenAI announced its first Australian office in August last year, before opening in December. Continue reading...
Entire NSW Labor left calls for controversial anti-protest laws to be scrapped ahead of party conference
Fifty-six state branches want the laws reviewed, while gambling, Aukus and Palestine are also on the agenda Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast Fifty-six Labor branches have passed motions to the New South Wales state conference calling for controversial anti-protest laws to be repealed or reviewed, with the entire left faction backing a motion for two of the laws to be repealed. Gambling reform, Aukus and Palestine were also among the top issues in motions submitted by branches to the conference, the last before the March election and which is key in informing policy. Continue reading...
‘Hugely significant’: biggest ever byelection will test nation’s mood – and Burnham’s credentials
With 2 million people eligible to vote, Manchester mayoralty race will give clues on whether PM-in-waiting can turn tide against Reform UK UK politics live – latest updates Andy Burnham was delivered to the steps of Downing Street after one of the most consequential parliamentary byelections in recent British history. But it is the race to be his successor as Greater Manchester mayor that could reveal far more about the mood of the nation than the historic – and unique – contest in Makerfield. Continue reading...
Louisiana court halts criminal indictment against state attorney general
Republican Liz Murrill was indicted for the alleged intimidation of New Orleans elected officials Sign up for the Breaking News US newsletter email Louisiana’s highest court has granted a stay of the proceedings in a criminal indictment targeting the state’s attorney general, in the latest twist of a high-stakes political battle between Republican state leaders and Democrats who govern its most famous city, New Orleans . Liz Murrill, a Republican who is Louisiana ’s first female attorney general, was slapped with a 16-count indictment on Thursday by a New Orleans grand jury charging her with intimidation and malfeasance. The charges effectively accused her of trying to intimidate New Orleans officials who fought a law passed by Republican legislators to overhaul the city’s courts. Continue reading...
Zohran Mamdani gives speech to mark US’s 250th birthday in New York – watch live
The New York City mayor is expected to deliver a speech on Friday morning from behind George Washington’s desk in New York City Hall to mark the US’s 250th anniversary Continue reading...
Three men found not guilty of murdering journalist Lyra McKee
McKee, 29, died after being hit by a bullet as she observed rioting in Derry in Northern Ireland in April 2019 Three men from Derry have been found not guilty of murdering the journalist Lyra McKee in 2019. McKee, 29, from Belfast, died after being hit by a bullet as she stood close to police vehicles while observing rioting in the Creggan area of Derry on 18 April 2019. The New IRA claimed responsibility for the killing. Continue reading...
‘The wheels are coming off’: readers reflect on the 250th anniversary of the American experiment
Against a backdrop of sweeping rollbacks of civil rights and deteriorating relations with allies, many are feeling cynical As the United States prepares to mark its 250th anniversary on 4 July, the country faces a turbulent moment under the Donald Trump administration. The anniversary coincides with sweeping rollbacks of civil rights , deteriorating relations with traditional allies and growing domestic opposition to the administration’s handling of immigration and free speech . Against this backdrop, many Americans say they feel increasingly cynical about the country’s future. Continue reading...
UK summer bookings jump as Britons put off overseas holidays by travel fears
Reports of ‘stampede’ for stays near water amid concerns over cancelled flights, higher air fares and EU border delays Summer bookings at Britain’s hotels and holiday parks have jumped, compared with last year, as fears about flight cancellations and long delays at EU borders have prompted many UK holidaymakers to stay closer to home this year. There has been a surge in last-minute bookings for UK holidays amid warnings that airlines will have to raise their fares because of higher jet fuel bills that have resulted from the war in the Middle East. Continue reading...
It’s America’s 250th birthday. And Black Americans are sitting out the celebrations | Morgan Jerkins
The 250th anniversary is arriving among Black communities as a whisper instead of a roar Not soon after Donald Trump ’s 2025 inauguration, there emerged a viral illustration of four Black women sitting at the top of a building while watching the world burn at a distance. They are observing with coffee cups in hand. An American flag hangs over the edge. If that exhaustion hadn’t been made clear enough, Black people, particularly across TikTok and Threads, have urged one another to “not give them a reaction”. The “them” is white people who find Black rage exciting and lucrative for their own personal gain. We’re not allowing our anger to become spectacle. We’re not shouting any more. What is most important is to stay alive, take care of one another, and to allow ourselves to step to the forefront for the rights that they have taken for granted as we’ve risked our lives to protect them. There is an old African American proverb: “If you can’t hear, then you must feel.” Morgan Jerkins is a senior writer, race and equity, at the Guardian US Continue reading...
Democrats will have ‘field day’ with Trump inquiries if they win House, legal experts say
Investigations into president and corruption charges will get heavy scrutiny if Democrats win majority in midterms Donald Trump’s presidency is facing investigations and corruption charges from a key House Democrat and ex-prosecutors, involving political and personal abuses of power, which legal experts predict will get heavy scrutiny if Democrats win the House majority in the midterms. Legal critics call the scandals dogging the president “target rich” for investigations that Democrats will have a “field day” investigating if they win the House majority. Critics cite, for instance, Trump’s damaging the rule of law by weaponizing the Department of Justice (DoJ) to exact revenge on political foes and protect himself from federal investigations, plus Trump moves to profit in radical ways from his presidency with lucrative and new cryptocurrency ventures. Continue reading...
How baby formula recalls have mounted amid Trump staff cuts to the FDA
Experts say the Food and Drug Administration is not prepared for the health threat of bacterial contamination Multiple brands of infant formula have been recalled recently due to bacterial contamination, and experts say the Food and Drug Administration is inadequately prepared to deal with the health threat they pose in the wake of Trump administration cuts. Last March, the FDA announced the launch of Operation Stork Speed , specifically intended to “expand options for safe, reliable, and nutritious infant formula for American families”. Two months later, Martin Makary, who was FDA commissioner at the time, told Congress that the FDA had lost around 3,100 employees due to the Trump administration’s reorganization and cuts. Makary departed the FDA the same month. Continue reading...
Spain’s conservatives and far-right Vox increase ties with Andalucía coalition
Deal including ‘national priority’ policy brings prospect closer of countrywide agreement between parties The prospect of a national coalition between Spain’s conservative People’s party (PP) and its far-right Vox party has drawn closer still after the two groupings sealed another deal that will allow the PP to continue ruling the southern region of Andalucía. The PP, which has governed the former socialist bastion for the past seven years, lost its absolute majority in May’s regional election , forcing it to look to Vox to help it stay in power in Spain’s most populous region. Continue reading...
Police criticise decision to let pubs stay open until 5am for England match
‘Late announcement’ means forces will have to adapt plans and move officers away from communities, say chiefs UK politics live – latest updates Police leaders have criticised Downing Street’s decision to let pubs stay open until 5am on Monday for England’s World Cup match against Mexico, saying it will take officers “away from communities”. Mark Roberts, the National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for football policing, and Scott Green, the organisation’s lead for alcohol licensing, said the “late announcement” meant forces would have to adapt plans and would leave officers working extended hours. Continue reading...
Starling Bank to cut 130 jobs and boost investment in AI to reduce costs
The London-based fintech said the restructuring was necessary to reduce ‘duplicate’ roles Business live – latest updates Starling Bank has said it will cut more than 100 jobs from its workforce, as it invests more heavily in artificial intelligence to push down costs. The digital-only bank told staff that 3% of its workforce, or 130 jobs, would be made redundant, as part of a restructuring of its banking and tech operations. Continue reading...
People awaiting hospital treatment to get three weeks’ notice under NHS England plans
Move inspired by customer service provided by online retailers such as John Lewis and Amazon People waiting for hospital treatment will get three weeks’ notice of their next appointment under NHS plans inspired by the customer service provided by online shopping operators. Hospitals are being ordered to start telling everyone on their treatment waiting list at least three weeks before their operation, diagnostic test or meeting with a consultant. Continue reading...
‘I can only describe it as a war zone’: the rescuers navigating Venezuela’s post-quake hellscape
Thousands of volunteers are joined by overseas teams in the hope of finding more survivors in the rubble When twin earthquakes tore through Venezuela’s northern coast last week, Israel Rivas was at home hundreds of miles away in the industrial city of San Félix. As the scale of the catastrophe became clear, the 24-year-old knew he had to react. A mechanic and budding photographer, Rivas gathered the money he had been saving to buy a new camera lens and jumped on a bus to make the 12-hour journey to La Guaira, the coastal state that has suffered the most damage. “I couldn’t eat well. I couldn’t sleep well, knowing that my brothers and sisters from this country are dying, so I … came here and I’m doing the best I can,” he said on Wednesday, exactly a week after the disaster, as he stood outside Residencia La Gabarra, a 12-storey block of beachside apartments that had collapsed into a jumble of reinforced concrete and bricks with at least three children inside. Continue reading...
Trump hijacks the US at 250 celebrations | Politics Weekly America
This weekend marks 250 years since the signing of the declaration of independence, but Donald Trump is making the celebration all about himself. As the anniversary approaches, Jonathan Freedland talks to the Atlantic’s Yoni Appelbaum about why so many Americans are feeling less patriotic these days Continue reading...
As the US turns 250, new citizens feel pride and unease: ‘It’s survival’
Amid Trump’s immigration crackdown, thousands take the oath of allegiance in a US ‘not as welcoming as in the past’ In June, Yesica McKeone officially became a US citizen. At the naturalization ceremony, she raised a hand and took the oath of allegiance to a country on the verge of its 250th anniversary. Thousands of new citizens recited the oath alongside her. Some cried softly. “I’m finally here,” McKeone, 32, remembered thinking about her citizenship journey. At two years old, she left Michoacán, Mexico, with her family and settled in California, where she became a permanent resident. Now, home is a pastoral patch of land in Solvang, in the heart of California’s central coast. Continue reading...
US residents angry at datacenters ‘being shoved down our throats’ are recalling officials
People across the country are pushing for moratoriums, and electeds who approve projects are being punished Lenoxdatacenter.com went live in May, promoting what it called a “proposed advanced technology and data center campus” in Michigan. The site did not state who wanted to build the center. Lenox Township officials denied anyone had applied to build one. Emails obtained by residents through an open records request showed, however, that developers had contacted the township supervisor and deputy supervisor asking for their support to build a datacenter. Continue reading...