Topic: Politics

Politics covers the decisions, debates and power struggles that shape public life, from elections and parties to government policy, diplomacy and political culture.

It brings together reporting on leaders and institutions alongside the controversies and public reactions surrounding them. For readers, it offers context on who is making decisions, what is at stake and how political developments may affect everyday life.

  • The hacker who humiliated spyware makers and was never caught

    Phineas Fisher is portrayed as an elusive hacktivist whose attacks on commercial spyware firms exposed their operations and helped reveal how surveillance technology was sold to governments. Their 2015 breach of Italy’s Hacking Team was particularly consequential, releasing a vast cache of internal material that enabled reporting on alleged abuses and is seen by some…

  • Cyclospora cases mounting in Michigan

    Michigan health officials reported a rapidly growing outbreak of cyclosporiasis, an intestinal illness caused by the Cyclospora parasite. The increase matters because the infection can cause prolonged gastrointestinal illness and officials had not yet identified the contaminated food or supplier responsible. As of 4 July, 572 cases had been reported, with the sharpest rise in…

  • More than 260K forced to flee amid European wildfires: What to know

    Wildfires in France and Spain have forced more than 260,000 people to leave their homes as blazes spread amid severe heat and dry conditions. The scale of the evacuations has strained emergency services and prompted both countries to seek wider European assistance, underlining the growing disruption caused by major summer fires. Around 70,000 people were…

  • Biden ghostwriter tapes to be released

    Former President Joe Biden has dropped his legal attempt to prevent the release of audio recordings and transcripts of conversations with the ghostwriter of his memoir. The decision clears the way for the Trump Justice Department to provide the material to a Republican-led congressional committee and the conservative Heritage Foundation, following an appeals court ruling…

  • Election tracker leads as Roku prices rise and tennis stars withdraw

    UK voting intentions, Roku price increases and calls to ease tennis’s calendar top the bulletin, alongside a seagull assault row and Troy arriving on Peacock.

  • Police investigate payments to Reform UK first revealed by The Guardian

    The Metropolitan police are investigating £500,000 in donations to Reform UK made through Britain Means Business, a company controlled by the party’s deputy leader, Richard Tice, shortly before the 2024 general election. The inquiry matters because it concerns whether political-donation rules were followed and whether the original source of the money can be established. The…

  • Democrats select Troy Jackson to replace disgraced Graham Platner for Maine Senate race despite fears ‘hot-headed’ candidate could cause more trouble

    Maine Democrats have chosen state senator Troy Jackson as their replacement Senate candidate after Graham Platner’s campaign collapsed under a wave of controversy. The switch comes as Democrats try to salvage their chances of unseating a Republican-held seat, though some in the party worry that Jackson’s own reputation for a fiery temperament could bring fresh…

  • Zelensky says US, Ukraine moving forward on joint drone production

    Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the United States and Ukraine are advancing plans for joint drone production, including a factory in the US using Ukrainian technology. The proposed partnership could deepen defence-industrial ties as Ukraine seeks to turn its battlefield drone expertise into a longer-term strategic asset. Zelenskyy said Ukrainian drones can now operate over…

  • First Minister bows to pressure and asks the military for help as an out-of-control wildfire rages in the Highlands

    Scotland’s First Minister has asked the military to assist efforts to contain a wildfire described as out of control in the Highlands, following pressure to strengthen the response. The request underlines the scale of the emergency and the potential threat to communities, land and infrastructure in the area. The article does not provide further verified…

  • Kalshi accuses Netflix of ‘misleading’ viewers in new prediction market documentary

    Kalshi has accused Netflix of misleading viewers in the trailer for a forthcoming documentary about prediction markets, and has reportedly threatened legal action. The dispute matters because it highlights growing tensions over how rapidly expanding betting-like financial platforms are portrayed and regulated. The company says the promotional material gives a false impression of Kalshi or…