-
Former neo-Nazi activist convicted of harassing Jewish MP standing as Tory candidate in local elections
Joshua Bonehill-Paine, a former neo-Nazi activist convicted in 2016 of harassing then-Labour MP Luciana Berger with antisemitic abuse, has been selected as a Conservative candidate for Somerset Council’s local elections next year. His selection has drawn scrutiny given his criminal history, though the party says it believes in rehabilitation while acknowledging his past actions were…
-
Voices: Poll: Should Andy Burnham’s early prisoner release scheme go ahead?
Manchester mayor Andy Burnham has amended his early prisoner release scheme after facing pressure, excluding rapists and serious child sex offenders, including those convicted of grooming, from qualifying for early release. The move comes as the scheme continues to draw criticism, with the prime minister acknowledging public “anxiety and distress” while warning that going further…
-
Calls for UK bank tax to fund cost of living help as HSBC profits hit £7.5bn
Campaigners have renewed calls for a windfall tax on UK banks after HSBC reported second-quarter profits of $10.1bn (£7.5bn), a 60% rise year on year. The push comes as Prime Minister Andy Burnham looks to fund cost of living measures, with pressure group Positive Money and the Trades Union Congress arguing that the banking sector’s…
-
Five states hold polls on Tuesday. Here’s what to know.
Voters in five US states – Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Virginia and Washington – are heading to the polls on Tuesday for primary elections that could shape the battle for control of Congress ahead of November. The contests feature closely watched races, including an open Senate seat in Michigan and several House primaries where progressive and…
-
Primaries in the Midwest have become a high stakes proving ground for progressives
Democratic primaries in Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota are emerging as a key test of whether progressive, anti-establishment candidates can win in competitive Midwest swing states, a question that has split the party since 2016. The outcomes could shape which party controls Congress after the midterms and influence strategy ahead of the 2028 presidential race, as…
-
Paxton trails Talarico by 2 points in new Texas Senate poll
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, the Republican nominee for Senate in the Lone Star State, is trailing Democrat James Talarico by two points in new polling of the closely watched race. A survey from the Barbara Jordan Public Policy Research and Survey Center at Texas Southern University found Talarico leading with 47 percent to Paxton’s…
-
Green councillor who defeated council leader quits
Andy Davies, the Green Party councillor who won the Walkley seat from Sheffield Council leader Tom Hunt in May’s local elections, has resigned after just three months in the role, citing mental health and personal reasons. His departure ends Hunt’s three-year Labour leadership of the council and triggers a by-election, the second in Sheffield within…
-
Hwang Bo-reum, Lee Geum-yi Among Authors in Busan Story Market’s 2026 Selections
The Busan Story Market (BSM), part of the Asian Contents & Film Market at the Busan International Film Festival, has announced its 25 official selections for 2026, drawing on original intellectual property from four Asian countries. The lineup includes work by international bestselling author Hwang Bo-reum and two-time Hans Christian Andersen Award finalist Lee Geum-yi,…
-
Cocaine-addicted stalker’s target on his back in jail – as he’s handed outrageous sentence for unhinged campaign against woman he had a work affair with
A court has sentenced Karl Mentzer to jail after he waged a stalking campaign against a woman with whom he had had a workplace affair, with reports indicating his cocaine addiction fuelled the unhinged behaviour that led to the prosecution. Coverage of the case notes that Mentzer’s crimes have reportedly made him a target for…
-
Oil profits spike as Middle East war fuels energy prices and Trump blasts soaring earnings – business live
Oil giants including BP, ExxonMobil and Chevron have reported surging profits, driven partly by higher energy prices linked to the Middle East conflict, prompting a sharp rebuke from Donald Trump and condemnation from environmental campaigners. Trump said the companies should “give some of that profit back to the public” and cut consumer fuel prices, while…