-
The calculated move behind Gavin Newsom’s extraordinary Kamala Harris pledge … and the ‘sinister plot’ Democrats suspect: ‘He’s messing with her’
California Governor Gavin Newsom pledged in mid-August not to run for president in 2028 if Kamala Harris seeks another term, a vow that has unsettled Democratic donors and prompted speculation about his true intentions. The announcement came during a fly-fishing trip interview and immediately sparked debate among party strategists, many of whom question whether Newsom’s…
-
Former Labour deputy Tom Watson joins Palantir as £330M NHS deal nears break point
Former Labour deputy leader Tom Watson has joined Palantir as UK senior vice president whilst the government considers ending the US tech firm’s controversial £330 million NHS contract. The appointment raises concerns about the revolving door between politics and technology companies, particularly as Palantir’s public sector contracts face increasing political scrutiny. Palantir has emphasised that…
-
Burnham faces demands to come clean with Brits about Russian ‘shadow war’ and hike defence spending – as France, Poland and Germany step up warnings
Andy Burnham and the Labour Government are facing pressure from Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch and Reform UK leader Nigel Farage to explain how Britain will respond to Russia’s alleged “shadow war” against NATO countries. The calls follow warnings that Moscow could use drones, rockets and other hybrid tactics to intimidate European states supporting Ukraine, with…
-
Workers in New York seek to create first AutoZone union as company resists
Workers at an AutoZone store in White Plains, New York, are seeking to become the first employees at the US-based retailer to unionise. Their election to join United Auto Workers Local 259 is due to begin on 25 September, despite what workers describe as an intensive company campaign against the effort. The dispute matters because…
-
‘We demand the truth’: Olga Tokarczuk and JM Coetzee lead calls for proof of life of disappeared Eritrean writers
More than 180 writers, including Nobel laureates Olga Tokarczuk and JM Coetzee, have renewed calls for proof of life from 12 Eritrean writers detained without trial since a 2001 crackdown on independent media. Organised by PEN International, the letter urges President Isaias Afwerki to provide verified information about their whereabouts, health and survival, highlighting the…
-
School shooting leaves at least three dead and many more injured after 16-year-old embarks in gun rampage in Philippines
At least six people were killed and 17 injured in a shooting at Banga National High School in South Cotabato, Philippines. The suspected 16-year-old gunman reportedly opened fire after lunch before killing himself, making it the country’s third deadly school incident since June and raising concern over a previously uncommon form of violence. All the…
-
Giorgia Meloni scraps road tax for millions of Italians
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has announced the abolition of road tax for 14.5 million Italian cars and motorcycles from next year, at an estimated cost of over €2.3 billion. The policy applies to all motorcycles and over 70 per cent of small- and medium-sized cars, though citizens may use the exemption for only one insured…
-
Russians begin voting in staged election Putin is guaranteed to win – with parties that support his war the only ones allowed to enter
Russia began a three-day parliamentary election on Friday, with polling stations opening first in the Far East before progressing through the country’s eleven time zones. President Vladimir Putin’s United Russia party is all but certain to win the vote for the 450 Duma seats, the first such election since the invasion of Ukraine in February…
-
Global leaders urged to join initiative to fight extreme inequality
More than 1,500 academics and economists from over 100 countries have signed an open letter urging global leaders to support the International Panel on Inequality (IPI), a new initiative being proposed ahead of next week’s UN general assembly. The signatories, including Nobel Prize winner Joseph Stiglitz and former US Treasury secretary Janet Yellen, argue that…