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Politics
Policy, power, and the news of the day.
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Low pressure in US midwest brings unseasonable heat to New York and Boston
Further south this week, severe thunderstorms affect midterms voting in Florida, Oklahoma and Colorado Despite the rapid descent into autumn in the northern hemisphere, parts of eastern North America have experienced an exceptionally late taste of summer in recent days. Temperatures approached 23C (73.4F) in New York and Boston, about 7-10C above what is expected in early November. The unseasonable warmth also spilled into parts of eastern Canada, with temperatures exceeding 20C, about 10-15C above normal for the time of year. The balmy conditions were the result on an area of low pressure in the US midwest, dragging up exceptionally warm air from the Gulf of Mexico along its eastern flank. This area of low pressure will gradually drift eastwards, allowing temperatures to fall closer to the average. Further south in the US, severe thunderstorms have resulted in numerous flood warnings and evacuation warnings being issued this week across many states, with disruptive weather impacting polling stations in states such Florida, Oklahoma and Colorado. The powerful thunderstorms this week even resulted in a tornado touching down in Keyes, Oklahoma, forcing a relocation of the polling station. The tornado left extensive damage across the town, although no causalities have been reported. Officials across many states impacted by the severe weather have requested federal funding assistance after extreme weather resulted in widespread damage to homes and infrastructure. Continue reading...
Burnham to force employers to publish salaries on job ads in latest government ‘small fix’ – UK politics live
Prime minister said his government would bring in legal requirement for companies to say what they pay when listing new jobs Hello and welcome to the UK politics live blog. Employers will be forced to publish salaries on job adverts, Andy Burnham has announced, in the government’s latest “small fix” to help improve people’s lives. Whether you’re a young person starting out or a parent trying to support your family, you should know what a job pays before spending your time and effort applying for it. That’s why we will make it a legal requirement for all employers to say what you pay. Andy Burnham has said he wants to “recast” the UK’s deal to cede control of the Chagos Islands after resistance from Washington, which said the agreement could instead be modelled on America’s Greenland deal with Denmark. Shabana Mahmood’s changes to the migration system could harm women and children, a Labour MP has warned, as members of her own party continue to raise concerns with the home secretary’s proposals. The EU is seeking a firmer pledge from the British government to guarantee European students discounted rates on university tuition fees before a much-anticipated summit this month. Continue reading...
European skies on high alert after hoax bomb threats this week – Europe live
Hoax bomb threats targeted commercial flights this week leaving at least 35 planes searched or diverted Airlines and airports across Europe are on high alert after a wave of hoax bomb threats targeted commercial flights this week, leaving at least 35 planes searched or diverted. Authorities will be hoping to see a quieter day today after yesterday’s disruptions. Continue reading...
Global stocks plunge amid AI slowdown fears after Democrats’ midterm triumph
Sell-off on Wall Street followed by sharp fall in Asian and European markets, with FTSE down 1.5% Business live – latest updates European stock markets have fallen sharply as a rout in US tech stocks spread across the Atlantic, after the Democrats’ midterms victory sparked fears of a slowdown in the AI industry. A sell-off on Wall Street on Thursday was followed by sharp falls in Asian stocks markets on Friday morning. The investor sentiment then reached London, with the FTSE 100 index, which tracks blue-chip shares listed in London, down 1.5%, or 166 points, at the start of trading to 10,615. Continue reading...
Employers to be forced to put salaries on job ads, Andy Burnham announces
Workers’ rights campaigners say measure will help young people and women in particular achieve more equal pay Business live – latest updates Employers will be forced to publish salaries on job adverts, Andy Burnham has announced, in an effort to empower both employees and jobseekers. The prime minister said his government would bring in a legal requirement for companies to say what they pay when listing new jobs, which campaigners say will help young people and women in particular achieve more equal pay. Continue reading...
Met police chief urges potential victims of Russell Brand to come forward
Mark Rowley says he would not be surprised if many more people emerged with allegations against convicted rapist The head of Scotland Yard has called for anyone with fresh allegations against the convicted rapist Russell Brand to come forward. Mark Rowley, the Metropolitan police commissioner, said he would not be surprised if “many more” alleged victims of Brand emerged after the former comedian turned online influencer was on Thursday convicted of rape and sexual assault . Continue reading...
Death a ‘distinct possibility’ in collision running and face-slapping competitions, inquiry hears
Impacts in emerging contact sports are akin to coward punches and cannot be made safer with regulation, neurologist says Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast Collision running and face-slapping competitions have similar impacts to that of a coward punch or “king-hit”, with death a “distinct possibility”, a concussion expert has told a parliamentary inquiry. A New South Wales inquiry is examining whether emerging competitions such as Run Nation, in which two players run at each other and collide at high speed, and Power Slap, where players take turns slapping each other across the face, should be considered combat sports to better regulate the safety of participants. Continue reading...
Seven people arrested in Glasgow after Bonfire Night violence across Scotland
Emergency services targeted with fireworks and police vehicle set alight in Glasgow Seven people were arrested in Glasgow after violence on Bonfire Night in parts of Scotland during which fireworks were launched at emergency services and a police vehicle was set alight. In what it called Operation Amberlight, Police Scotland deployed the largest number of officers to deal with disorder since the visit by the US president, Donald Trump, last year. Continue reading...
UK house prices fall at steepest rate in more than three years
October drop of 0.6% leaves average price of property at £296,285, says Lloyds, as high mortgage rates hit market Business live – latest updates UK house prices fell at the steepest rate in more than three years in October, marking the fourth consecutive monthly decline, as high mortgage rates hit the housing market. The average price of a typical UK property stood at £296,285 last month as prices unexpectedly fell 0.6% compared with September, the steepest fall since the lender Lloyds recorded a 1.6% drop in August 2023. Continue reading...
M&S takes on John Lewis in Christmas ad battle with topless ‘shredded Santa’
James Norton and Lucy Punch star as a youthful Mr and Mrs Claus in lively ad about shared moments as well as shopping For years the “Christmas advert moment” has belonged to one brand. John Lewis’s syrupy commercials featuring piano ballads and tearjerker storylines have given the 160-year-old department store a cultural head start in the dash for festive profits. This year, however, there’s one high-street rival with a sackful of tricks to make up the ground. Marks & Spencer has brought out the big guns – in the form of a topless Santa, played by the small-screen heart-throb James Norton . Continue reading...
Friday briefing: After a week of disruption, is living with threats our new normal?
In today’s newsletter: From diverted airliners to hacked fridges, a string of disruptive incidents has exposed the vulnerabilities of modern life. There is now an increasingly blurred space between peace and conflict, the grey zone. Good morning. A multiplicity of hoax bomb threats divert passenger flights across Europe. A malign cyber-attack targets supermarket fridges in Belgium, Sweden, the UK and – in a sickening escalation – the cold storage facilities of France’s national blood service. The actors behind this week of chaos and disruption, be they hostile states or criminal gangs – or even enterprising teenagers – are yet to be identified. But what is certain is that they operate in a context of deepening global conflicts, building national threat and an accompanying, pervasive sense of vulnerability. UK news | Russell Brand has been found guilty of raping a woman and sexually assaulting three others over the course of five years of his show business career. US politics | Donald Trump signed a proclamation that he says will prevent future administrations from changing his design of the Oval Office and Cabinet Room, spaces he declared as national monuments that should be preserved. UK politics | Andy Burnham has said he wants to “recast” the UK’s deal to cede control of the Chagos Islands after resistance from Washington. Health | Cancer diagnoses in England have hit record highs , with more than 1,000 people a day diagnosed, NHS figures show. World news | The UN-recognised government of Yemen has shaken up its political and military leadership in an attempt to regain territory lost to the Houthis in September. Continue reading...
Judge temporarily halts building work on Trump’s triumphal arch
Federal judge issues 14-day restraining order on any construction work on Washington monument, hours after it was approved by planning commission A federal judge has halted construction work on Donald Trump’s towering triumphal arch for 14 days, a major setback for one of the president’s most prominent projects in his vision to remake Washington. The temporary restraining order was issued by US district judge Tanya Chutkan in the early hours of Friday. It followed a series of steps taken on Thursday by the government, including the final approval of the 250-foot-high (76-meter) arch by the National Capital Planning Commission in an 8-4 vote after a nine-hour hearing where dozens of witnesses opposed the construction. Continue reading...
Notre-Dame was restored in five years and under budget. But the Palace of Westminster? No chance | Simon Jenkins
Estimated costs have already risen from £3.5bn to £40bn. The PM should bite the bullet and relocate MPs outside London – permanently What is the most reactionary public institution in Britain, the most outdated and immune to reform? It is the one that orders us to keep changing: parliament. It is also the most wildly extravagant. When the issue is hospitals, prisons and care homes, austerity is often the answer. When it comes to its own premises, only the best will do. Big Ben has recently been restored at a cost of £80m and the entire Palace of Westminster has been reroofed for another £80m . Back in the 2000s, the basement was also reportedly much in need of repair. Its piping and wiring were so decayed they would fail within five to 10 years. Various committees debated and dithered, and eventually invited London’s most pukka consultants, Deloitte, to estimate what needed doing, which published its findings in 2014. Simon Jenkins is a Guardian columnist Continue reading...
Minister tells energy suppliers to do more to help households tackle unpaid bills this winter
Bosses from Great Britain’s biggest energy companies called to meeting as part of government’s debt relief plan An energy minister has told the bosses of Great Britain’s biggest energy suppliers to do more to help households get on top of their unpaid energy bills this winter, before the government spends almost £2.5bn to help write off the country’s record high debts. Energy bosses were summoned to a roundtable meeting on Thursday to discuss the government’s plan to pay down the energy debts of about 2.4m of the hardest-hit households. Continue reading...
Police turn to charities for help with teenagers caught up in online child abuse
As new pornography laws come into force, officers say viewing extreme content could lead young people towards abuse images Police forces are turning to specialist charities and partner agencies to cope with the growing number of teenagers caught up in online child abuse. As new pornography laws come into force, frontline officers warn that young people are going down a pathway through extreme content that could lead to real-life abusive images of children. Continue reading...
Electoral politics can be fun! What turned voters against Trump? | First Dog on the Moon
It’s important to enjoy the misery of one’s political enemies Sign up here to get an email whenever First Dog cartoons are published Get all your needs met at the First Dog shop if what you need is First Dog merchandise and prints Continue reading...
Australia faces same issues that flipped control of US Congress in midterms, experts say
Anthony Albanese’s government has taken a blow due to Iran war but voter anxiety around cost of living and datacentres may hit harder Get our daily political email , free app or daily news podcast The Democrats’ stunning midterm victory should broaden Australia’s alliance with the US, observers say, even as a new power base emerges in Washington, affecting Aukus, datacentre development and relations with China. Cabinet ministers, diplomats and Australia’s defence industrial sector closely watched the results this week, with control of the US Congress flipping to the Democrats and the outlook for Donald Trump’s final two years in office badly dinted. Continue reading...
Jaguars rout injury-hit Ravens as Baltimore slump to fourth straight loss
Trevor Lawrence throws for 242 yards and a touchdown Ravens’ Joe Fagnano manages just 60 passing yards Jacksonville improve to 6-2 with fifth win in six games Trevor Lawrence threw for 242 yards and a touchdown, and the Jacksonville Jaguars had little trouble with Joe Fagnano and the Baltimore Ravens in a 33-10 victory Thursday night. Fagnano made his first career start with Lamar Jackson and Tyler Huntley injured, and the 25-year-old rookie threw for only 60 yards. Baltimore (4-5) have lost four straight. With their top two quarterbacks on injured reserve, the Ravens now await Jacoby Brissett’s arrival as they try to prevent their season from falling apart completely. Continue reading...
LSU thrash Texas Southern by school-record 109 points in historic 131-22 rout
No 9 LSU cruise to 131-22 victory over Texas Southern Largest winning margin ever between Division I teams Tigers score 40 unanswered points in second quarter Jada Williams scored 16 of her 18 points in the second quarter and No 9 LSU scored 40 unanswered points in the period on the way to a school-record margin of victory in a 131-22 win over Texas Southern on Thursday night. LSU (2-0) outscored Texas Southern 40-0 in the quarter, forcing nine turnovers and holding the visiting Tigers without a field goal in 13 attempts. Continue reading...
Bondi beach shooting: Woman, 90, shot during massacre dies in hospital year after antisemitic attack
Woman was shot on 14 December 2025 during Hanukkah festival and she has been in and out of hospital since Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast A woman who was shot during the Bondi beach terror attack has died in hospital almost 12 months after the massacre. The 90-year-old woman had been in and out of hospital this year for treatment of injuries sustained during the attack on 14 December, a senior Jewish community source said on Friday. Continue reading...
Liberal campaign bus crashes into shop awning on its first outing of Victorian election campaign
Opposition leader Jess Wilson grimaced as the ‘Jess Express’, carrying Liberals and reporters, backs into the structure in suburban Melbourne Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast The Victorian Liberal party’s first offical day on the campaign trail has hit a snag, after its campaign bus reversed into the awning of a shopfront. The “Jess Express”, a large blue bus emblazoned with an image of the opposition leader, Jess Wilson, was unveiled on Friday, 12 days after Labor launched its own red equivalent. Continue reading...
Beau Lamarre-Condon tells double murder trial shooting of Jesse Baird wasn’t intentional but ‘it was my fault’
Former NSW police officer gives evidence for a second day after pleading not guilty to murdering Baird and Luke Davies in early 2024 Beau Lamarre-Condon trial live updates: former police officer continues evidence in double murder trial Beau Lamarre-Condon has said he is “guilty of manslaughter” but said shooting Jesse Baird wasn’t intentional, as he gave evidence in his double-murder trial. The former police officer is accused of fatally shooting Baird and his partner, Luke Davies, with his police service weapon in Baird’s Paddington home in Sydney on 19 February 2024. Continue reading...
Peru airport officials discover 3,000 tarantulas smuggled inside dirty socks
Three suitcases’ worth of the spiders were on their way to Germany, where they could fetch an estimated €1.5m More than 3,000 tarantulas were seized at an airport in Lima on their way to Germany, Peruvian authorities said. The spiders were hidden inside dirty socks contained in three suitcases carried by two Germans and a Polish citizen, the National Forestry and Wildlife Service (SERFOR) told Agence France-Presse on Thursday. Continue reading...
Trump signs proclamation to try to prevent changes to gold-covered Oval Office
President seeks to make Oval Office a national monument to ensure designs are not ‘ripped down by stupid people’ Donald Trump signed a proclamation on Thursday that he says will prevent future administrations from changing his design of the Oval Office and Cabinet Room, spaces which he declared as national monuments that should be preserved. In the days since his party suffered historic defeats in the midterm elections, the president has seemingly turned his attention to the many renovation projects he has begun across the nation’s capital. Sitting behind the Resolute Desk on Thursday, Trump declared the Oval Office a “national monument”. Continue reading...