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Rate rise, Gaza collapse and Leicester mum’s Malawi abduction lead the bulletin
State pension to rise 3.9% under the triple lock; at least 20 dead after a Gaza City building collapse; a British mother from Leicester remains missing after abduction in Malawi; plus an LA helicopter crash, Meta’s camera-free glasses and Sunderland’s European return.
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US government refuses AI regulation as industry leaders warn of risks
This Guardian opinion piece by Shakeel Hashim argues that the Trump administration and Republican leadership are failing to regulate artificial intelligence despite mounting warnings from within the industry itself. Even rival AI chief executives Sam Altman, Elon Musk and Dario Amodei have called for development to slow amid growing risks, yet Trump has dismissed these…
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Trump pledges $5,000 to voters amid mounting concerns over cost
Donald Trump used a Republican midterm convention speech to pledge a $5,000 payment, which he called a “Trump dividend”, to every American adult if Republicans retain control of Congress in November’s elections. The promise, made amid sinking approval ratings, public anger over his military action against Iran and frustration that inflation has risen despite his…
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Norwich pub restricts outdoor launderette after parking and noise complaints
A pub in Norwich has agreed to restrict the hours of its outdoor launderette after neighbours complained about noise, bright lights and parking problems. The Woodman’s owners installed the 24-hour facility to boost income amid rising costs from increases to National Insurance and the minimum wage, but nearby residents said the machines and their lighting…
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Madeleine King faces conflict of interest questions over Woodside tickets
Australian Resources Minister Madeleine King is facing criticism after parliamentary disclosures revealed she accepted four AFL tickets from Woodside Energy, one of the country’s largest gas exporters, for a match on 14 July. The gift has raised concerns because King’s portfolio directly oversees policy decisions affecting Woodside, including Labor’s gas reservation scheme and the Future…
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Von der Leyen proposes special EU status for Canada
Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, has proposed making Canada the EU’s first “associate member”, opening the door to closer ties on trade, security and technology. The offer comes as Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney seeks a “unique alliance” with Brussels amid strained relations with the United States, following the collapse of…
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Rotherham faces worst youth jobs market as regional gaps widen
Young people in Rotherham face the weakest local jobs market in Britain, according to a new report from the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) that highlights stark regional divides in youth employment opportunities. The think tank’s “local youth opportunity index” tracks job vacancies across Britain and found a sixfold gap between the worst and…
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Unmasking Iran’s murderous enforcers: Amnesty names 87 officials who oversaw brutal campaign of killing, torture and rape in crackdown on women’s rights protest
Amnesty International has published a 1,000-page report naming 87 Iranian officials it says oversaw killings, torture and sexual violence during the crackdown on the 2022 “Woman, Life, Freedom” protests, and has called for them to be investigated for crimes against humanity. The findings matter because they provide a detailed, evidence-based account implicating senior figures, including…
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Big-money donations poison British politics. We can stop the mega-rich buying access and influence | Gordon Brown
Gordon Brown warns that huge political donations, including recent multi-million-pound gifts to Reform from crypto billionaires Ben Delo and Christopher Harborne, are distorting British democracy by letting wealthy donors buy access and influence. He argues that spending imbalances directly translate into electoral advantage, and that without reform, elections risk being decided by the size of…
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Von der Leyen extends historic associate membership offer to Canada
The European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, has offered Canada an unprecedented “associate membership” of the EU in a historic deepening of relations between the bloc and Canada. This unprecedented move comes as both the EU and Canada seek to reduce their dependence on US trade and strengthen ties in response to Donald Trump’s…