section
Politics
Policy, power, and the news of the day.
3119 stories archived
After the unimaginable happens, an Oregon town mourns: ‘You can’t stop thinking about the kids’
A shooting at an elementary school in Bend on Thursday left three children and one teacher dead For three long hours on Thursday afternoon, Joe Camarlinghi waited at a Bend, Oregon, church for word about his daughter. Camarlinghi had received an alert about a shooting at Silver Rail elementary, heard sirens and quickly headed to campus, where he was directed to the church along with other parents. Parents and teachers cried and hugged, and waited. Continue reading...
Bank of England governor walks out of IMF summit in protest against Russia
Andrew Bailey among finance leaders to leave session in Bangkok when Russian finance minister addressed group The Bank of England governor, Andrew Bailey, has taken part in a walkout of finance leaders who left an International Monetary Fund meeting in protest against Russian involvement. Bailey joined counterparts from France, Germany and a number of Scandinavian and Baltic countries who left the session in Bangkok when the Russian finance minister, Anton Siluanov, addressed the group in Russian. Continue reading...
CDC to send ‘disease detective’ to help tackle Pennsylvania measles outbreak
State has confirmed six measles-related deaths and county at center of outbreak lacks its own health department The county at the center of Pennsylvania’s measles outbreak is at a clear disadvantage because, local officials say, it lacks its own health department and it will now get special assistance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). As of Wednesday, Pennsylvania had confirmed 1,222 measles cases, up from 86 the week before. Six measles-associated deaths have also been confirmed by the state. Continue reading...
From little acorns … to his 1,000th article for the Guardian country diary
As Mark Cocker approaches a landmark for the world’s oldest column in an English-language newspaper, he is still inspired by powerful encounters with nature In the autumn of 1987, Mark Cocker sat in a field near Norwich and watched a jay burying acorns for the long winter ahead. He described the scene in his first country diary for the Guardian. Thirty-nine years on, some of those jay-planted acorns will be mature oaks now, and Cocker is completing his 1,000th diary for the world’s oldest column in an English-language newspaper. In his next diary, he will reflect on the changing birdlife around Flint Clough, in the Peak District, where he first marvelled at rare birds aged 12 after devouring bird books in his bedroom. As a boy, he would find cuckoo, golden plover, ring ouzel and twite, a once-common bird which is now virtually extinct in England . Continue reading...
UAE agrees with Saudi Arabia to re-enter Yemen conflict amid Houthi gains
United Arab Emirates will reportedly resume payments to Yemeni forces as gains by Iran-backed Houthi fighters alarm Gulf state rulers Yemen civil war: what sparked latest escalation and who is involved? The United Arab Emirates has agreed to re-enter the Yemen conflict by resuming payments to some government forces fighting Iran-aligned Houthis in the south, according to sources in Yemen. In return, Saudi Arabia has agreed to provide air cover for the anti-Houthi force. The new cooperation agreement is the first tangible signs that the deep rift between the UAE and Saudi Arabia over Yemen’s future is starting to be healed – if only because the advance by Houthi forces across Yemen has alarmed all the rival Gulf state rulers. Continue reading...
The power of AI is worrying senior Labour figures – as is the fear of ‘falling behind the public’
Westminster appears to be waking up to warnings over AI safety, with concerns over its use by extremist groups and bad actors “I have this sense that, within a few months, AI is going to be all anyone is talking about,” said one cabinet minister, with an ominous stare. It was Labour conference, with everyone from ministers to activists jubilant at Andy Burnham’s takeover and a bounce in the polls after the change of leader. Continue reading...
Plaque telling story of African-Caribbean prisoners in Britain stolen within days
Descendants say theft from Portchester Castle reflects spirit of racism that has haunted ‘generation after generation’ The theft of a plaque in Hampshire that told the little-known story of African-Caribbean prisoners in 18th-century Britain reflects the enduring racism that has fuelled centuries of atrocities against Black and Indigenous Caribbean people, their descendants say. Drummer Ronald Raymond McDonald was part of a delegation that travelled from Belize and elsewhere to Portchester Castle last week to honour their ancestors: 2,500 men, women and children transported to Britain as prisoners of war in 1796. Continue reading...
US corporate lobbyists mounted ‘blitz’ to dilute landmark EU deforestation law, report finds
Environmental watchdog Mighty Earth reveals two-year effort to postpone and weaken EU Deforestation Regulation US corporate lobbyists launched a two-year “blitz” to postpone and weaken the world’s most progressive legislation to protect forests, according to a new investigation by the environmental watchdog Mighty Earth. Major US firms and trade associations, including Cargill, Bunge, Mondelēz and the US Soybean Export Council, as well as numerous other US firms and organizations, sought to influence the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) in more than 350 meetings, the advocacy group found . Continue reading...
‘We are in hiding’: Briton with severe health issues fears deportation from Sweden
Mark Smith, who is married to a Swedish woman, says he was told three times he needed to do nothing in order to remain after Brexit A seriously ill British man living in Sweden has been forced into hiding amid fears he will be deported as a result of what he says is a government Brexit residency error. Mark Smith, 60, who has had hearts attacks, strokes, severe headaches and chronically high blood pressure that has been difficult to treat, was told on the phone he should leave Sweden by 17 October as he was an “alien” without permission to stay. Continue reading...
The people who are transforming Philly’s vacant lots into green spaces
The organization We Are the Seeds began planting as part of a push to return land sovereignty to Indigenous people Xiao Hui Star kneeled on her haunches, with her hands in the dirt as she cleared a spot to plant a flowering perennial in late summer. Surrounding her was a native garden replete with golden sunflowers, beans, squash, pawpaw and corn. She ruffled tufts of sweetgrass, which emitted a vanilla-like fragrance. Birds fluttered by and swooped down into a small bath filled with hard clam shells. Sandwiched between a brick home and a playground in west Philadelphia in Pennsylvania, the native garden featured plants endemic to the region. “These are very special endangered varieties that we are rematriating back to the soil,” said Star, who is part of Rhode Island’s Narragansett tribe. She is also the manager of new initiatives at the Philadelphia-based organization We Are the Seeds, which hosts public events and education on Indigenous arts and culture. “Who knows how many centuries it’s been since a Lenape corn or a Nanticoke squash have grown in this soil.” Continue reading...
Key player in false Talarico rumor has history of online posts invoking Nazi Germany
Ryan Amacher, who played role in bid to damage campaign, has also made antisemitic and racist posts on social media An influencer who played a key role in hoax claims that James Talarico was in a mental health facility has a long history of social media posts that favorably invoke Nazi Germany , express antisemitism and anti-Black racism , criticize miscegenation and call for “remigration” of refugees. On X, the Lake Oswego, Oregon, resident Ryan Amacher, known online as Rhein Amacher, has described Muslims as “sub-human” , claimed that Black Africans are “monkeys” with low IQ , characterized immigrants as “vermin” and expressed support for the far right, including Germany’s AfD and the UK’s Tommy Robinson . Continue reading...
Insults, odd obsessions and rambling thoughts: a week in Trump rallies
President has hit red states to drum up Republican support – and his increasingly strange performances are on full display Montana, Tennessee, Alaska. In the run-up to an election, a Republican president typically wouldn’t be campaigning in these traditionally red states. These aren’t normal times, however, and Donald Trump, an unpopular president leading an unpopular party, has held rallies in those states in the last week, seeking to drum up support. But a series of eccentric performances from the president means his behavior has been the focus, rather than any of the candidates he is backing. Continue reading...
Two people killed in light aircraft crash near Loch Lomond
Police Scotland says boy, 16, and 80-year-old man died in incident north-east of village of Drymen in Stirling A 16-year-old boy and an 80-year-old man have been killed in a light aircraft crash near Loch Lomond in Scotland. Emergency services were called to reports of an incident north-east of the village of Drymen, Stirling, at about 4.45pm on Friday. Continue reading...
Ministers must be honest about Russian threat to UK, says former Foreign Office head
Peter Ricketts called for more resilience in protecting banking, energy and water systems from cyber-assaults Ministers need to be honest with the British public about the immediate threat posed by Russia, which could soon lead to lives being lost, a former national security adviser has said. Peter Ricketts, who advised David Cameron when he was prime minister, became the latest figure to warn about the scale of the threat posed by “hybrid attacks” from Vladimir Putin’s forces. Continue reading...
All the president’s women: a familiar downward trajectory in Trump’s cabinet
Half of Trump’s female cabinet officials have been replaced by men, while men facing misconduct allegations remain Donald Trump is not, by any measure, a feminist. He has said so himself. But the president has often pointed to his hiring and promoting of women in an attempt to stave off criticism of both his policies and personal conduct over the years. During his second term, however, there is one common characteristic among most of those who have departed the Trump administration. Continue reading...
Honeybees are barging aside wild pollinators in hunt for pollen and nectar, study finds
As a surge in beekeepers has lead to increased numbers of honeybees, researchers record them pushing bumblebees and other rival species away from flowers Honeybees are outcompeting wild pollinators for resources by aggressively bumping into them and chasing them away from flowers, research has shown. The study , by researchers from Anglia Ruskin University, found that areas where there were higher concentrations of honeybees had fewer wild pollinators, such as bumblebees, solitary bees and hoverflies. Continue reading...
Premier League schedule today: How to watch, TV channels & live stream
How will Brentford and Liverpool fare today? Here is what to know, including kick-off time, TV channels and live stream options Brentford are flying high in the Premier League as one of just three teams still to suffer defeat this season, although Keith Andrews surely wants his team to convert some of their draws into wins. Liverpool, on the other hand, return to league action after last weekend’s humbling home defeat to Manchester City. Andoni Iraola’s side responded by putting six goals past Lask in the Champions League, but the Reds are lacking balance. Continue reading...
Stinky business: south London bike shop hit by ‘unbearable’ stench from Thames Water sewer
Owner and mechanics fear for their health and future of the Herne Hill shop with no date for fixing problem The leafy south London neighbourhood of Herne Hill is a haven for cyclists who can often be seen lapping the local parks and refuelling at the many cafes that line the suburban streets. But there is something foul in the air of this corner of the capital – and for once it’s not the traffic fumes hitting bicycle riders. A toxic stench thought to be caused by untreated sewage stuck in Thames Water drains has been emanating from the subterranean depths for months, most likely caused by the summer’s lack of rain. Continue reading...
Squash down: smaller pumpkins expected this Halloween after drought in England
Data shows 2026 could be worst harvest on record, as growers suggest painting faces on vegetables instead of carving In the lead-up to Halloween, front porches across the country feature fat, proudly carved pumpkins, lit from within by tea lights. But this year there is likely to be a shortage due to drought, experts have warned, with the squashes much smaller than usual. Continue reading...
The ESPN producer who quit over gambling – and the stories she says went untold
Nicole Noren says ESPN sidelined investigations into sports betting companies as gambling partnerships reshaped the network’s priorities Earlier this week, investigative journalist Nicole Noren did something almost impossible for someone who has spent her career behind the scenes. She made herself the story. Continue reading...
Plan to make firms pay more to train older workers than youth apprentices in England
Exclusive: Ministers considering overhaul of apprenticeship funding scheme to tackle youth jobs crisis Employers in England are to be forced to pay more to train an older worker than a youth apprentice under plans being drawn up by the government to tackle the youth jobs crisis. The Guardian understands ministers plan to overhaul Labour’s apprenticeship funding scheme to increase the cost of training by 25% for a worker over the age of 25 in order to encourage businesses to train young people instead. Continue reading...
‘I cannot carry all of this alone’: the couples kept apart by the war in Gaza
Families have been scattered, fathers separated from their children, and couples unable to reunite and marry Wijdan Abu Matar, 43, was forced to leave Gaza in November 2023 with her eight children for medical treatment, while her injured husband, Hatem, remained behind. Wijdan and her family were living in the Nuseirat refugee camp when the Gaza war began with the 7 October 2023 Hamas attack on Israel. Ten days later, on 17 October that year, an Israeli strike hit the al-Muhandseen tower, near their home, injuring Wijdan and every member of her family. Continue reading...
‘Austerity is inevitably painful’: How Michael Gove justifies his politics | Radical Thinking with Aditya Chakrabortty – podcast
For more than three decades, Michael Gove has been a leading figure in British Conservatism. As a journalist, government minister and now editor of the Tory bible, the Spectator, he has helped shape the right even as it has moved further rightwards. In the latest episode of Radical Thinking, Gove joins Aditya Chakrabortty to discuss the future of the right, his record on Brexit and austerity, and the Spectator’s position on Islam Watch the full episode with Michael Gove here . Aditya’s suggested reading: To read the fruits of Michael Gove’s dalliance with the Marxism Today gang, look up his essay in a 1998 collection called The Moderniser’s Dilemma: Radical Politics in the Age of Blair For slalom ride through Michael Gove’s years in power, read The Demented Dalek by the historian Richard J Evans in the London Review of Books To learn more on what’s become of the British right, there’s a column by me for the Guardian Just why the most successful political party is now failing is analysed in-depth by Phil Burton-Cartledge in his book The Party’s Over: The Rise and Fall of the Conservatives from Thatcher to Sunak Phil also writes a very good blog on British politics, which keeps a close eye on how each party is trying to marshall a coalition of voters. Here he is on Kemi Badenoch Geoffrey Wheatcroft does an entertaining short narrative in Bloody Panico!: or, Whatever Happened to The Tory Party For more on the economics of the Cameron years, this paper is acute on how the Tories failed to move the UK away from being a country of renters towards a country of makers. Two of its authors will join us for a podcast later in the series. And if you want to read how Brexit may have cost the UK 8% of GDP, there’s this paper based on data from the Bank of England Finally, on the Spectator read Nesrine Malik’s recent column in The Guardian Why has Britain’s oldest political magazine become such a rabid cheerleader for Islamophobia? Continue reading...
Brexit’s back – but are British voters ready to contemplate a reversal?
As Andy Burnham talks up closer alignment with the EU and a poll suggests half in UK would rejoin, the B-word is back on the agenda In February 2016, days after David Cameron announced the UK would hold a referendum on leaving the EU, he told workers in Slough not to imagine they could change their minds a few years down the line if they did not like how things panned out. Voting to stay in or leave was a once in a generation thing, he said . “This is a decision that lasts for life.” Well times change, as the last prime minister but five could testify . A decade after Britain told Brussels where to go, Brexit is back on the political agenda. After years in which many politicians avoided any mention of the B-word, Andy Burnham broke the omertà in his party conference speech last month, saying he would look again at Britain’s relationship with Europe. Continue reading...