The Guardian

One Nation, six farcical explanations and no clearer understanding of its housing policy

Hanson’s party is leading in the polls, but it has a long way to go before being recognised as a serious political outfitGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastWhen sent out to do a cleanup job, it usually helps to not make the mess even worse.It took One Nation six separate attempts over nearly 24 hours to clarify the basic details of their policy on foreign ownership of housing. Between Thursday night and Friday afternoon, the story turned from bizarre to farcical, with att

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The Guardian

No 10 says Starmer ‘will not walk away’ if Burnham officially enters Labour leadership contest - UK politics live

Downing Street responded after Andy Burnham publicly admitted that he would consider launching a bid to become Labour leader‘I wouldn’t flinch’: Burnham on social care, markets, Brexit – and the prospect of a general electionWe have more comments from David Lammy, who was on the media round this morning.He rejected the US state department’s criticism of “two-tiered policing” in the UK in relation to the murder of 18-year-old student Henry Nowak. Continue reading...

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The Guardian

‘Family values’ African charter condemned by rights groups as regressive and dangerous

Draft treaty claims sexual and reproductive health and rights are an existential threat to the African familyAn African treaty that rejects longstanding international human rights obligations moved a step closer to becoming policy this week as governments across the continent met in Ghana.The draft African charter on family, sovereignty and values, seen by the Guardian, asserts that African values and culture are under attack from “foreign ideologies” and urges states to withdraw from any agreem

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The Guardian

Woman illegally strip-searched by police ‘reasonably thought’ officers would call her a liar, judge says

NSW seeking leave to appeal against successful class action including aggravated damages of $20,000 awarded to woman strip-searched at music festivalGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe woman awarded $93,000 after an illegal strip-search by NSW police thought until “just before” the trial that she would be called a liar in the proceedings by the officers who conducted the search. This was despite the officers submitting statements 12 months before her appearance that

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The Guardian

UK house prices fall for third successive month amid Iran war uncertainty

Unexpected monthly drop of 0.1% in May leaves price of typical home at £298,806, says lender HalifaxBusiness live – latest updatesUK house prices fell unexpectedly in May as rising mortgage rates fuelled by the war in Iran affected affordability and homebuyer demand.The average price of a typical UK home fell by 0.1% in May to £298,806 compared with April, the third consecutive monthly drop recorded by the lender Halifax. Analysts had been expecting a return to growth, with a consensus of a 0.1%

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The Guardian

US government criticises ‘two-tier’ UK policing after Henry Nowak murder

State department warns of ‘ideological conditioning’ in message of condolence to family of murdered studentThe US state department has criticised “two-tiered policing” in Britain in a message of condolence to the family of the murder victim Henry Nowak in a thinly veiled rebuke of the UK government.The 18-year-old student’s murder has been claimed by some as evidence of two-tier policing in the UK – the argument that some groups of people are dealt with more harshly than others for ideological r

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The Guardian

ANU scandals during Julie Bishop’s tenure caused $100m in reputational damage, university estimates

Interim vice-chancellor tells senate estimates of ‘very significant’ effect on donor pipeline and enrolmentsFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastA series of high profile scandals and governance failures has cost the Australian National University $100m in reputational damage, the interim vice-chancellor, Rebekah Brown, has told a parliamentary committee.Fronting senate estimates on Friday – a day after a scathing audit r

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The Guardian

Get set for a painted lady summer: big year for orange butterflies in Britain

Migrant insects have been seen in large numbers along east coast thanks to heatwave and benign southerly windsIf you’ve spotted a pale orange butterfly dashing at frenetic pace through streets, fields or gardens, you’ve noticed the new migrants that will add colour to the summer in record-breaking numbers.What is expected to be the largest arrival of painted lady butterflies in Britain for 17 years is under way after heatwaves and favourable winds ushered thousands if not millions of the insects

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The Guardian

Sexism and bullying keeping women out of careers in sport, MPs told

Women coaches routinely overlooked, undermined and denied opportunities despite qualifications, say experts Women are being shut out of careers in sport by entrenched sexism, discrimination and workplace bullying, MPs have been told.Female coaches are routinely overlooked, undermined and denied opportunities despite their qualifications, experts told a parliamentary select committee on Thursday. Continue reading...

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The Guardian

New claimants seek to sue Elon Musk’s xAI after Labour MP’s test case

Jess Asato’s lawyer says others want to take action over demeaning sexualised material created by Grok AI toolNew claimants have come forward to take legal action against Elon Musk’s company xAI after the Labour MP Jess Asato launched a test case against the firm over demeaning sexualised material created by its Grok AI tool.A handful of complainants contacted Asato’s lawyer on Thursday in response to coverage of the MP’s decision to sue Musk’s company for damages over its creation and circulati

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The Guardian

Friday briefing: How Gaza, Lebanon and Iran have found themselves caught in an escalation without end

In today’s newsletter: ​Global powers​ are focused on oil markets and elections​ but those living through conflict in the Middle East feel abandonedGood morning. It’s been another week of brinkmanship via Truth Social and ceasefires broken before they’ve been announced.While US president Donald Trump claims an agreement with Iran could happen soon, for those living in the Middle East it does not feel like peace is anywhere near. People have seen more bombs dropped in Lebanon this week; and the d

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The Guardian

James Handy, known for roles in Top Gun: Maverick and Jumanji, dies at home after fatal stabbing

Son of actor’s girlfriend arrested after 81-year-old found unconscious in his front yard in Tarzana, Los AngelesVeteran actor James Handy has died at his home in Los Angeles after a fatal stabbing, allegedly by his girlfriend’s son.The 81-year-old actor was found in the front yard of his home in Tarzana in Los Angeles, California, at 9.30am on Wednesday, according to the Los Angeles police department. He was unconscious and had multiple stab wounds to the chest. Continue reading...

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WSJ World News

Japanese Officials Step Up Verbal Intervention; Yen Mixed

The yen was little changed against the dollar. Japanese officials stepped up verbal intervention Friday as the dollar hovered near 160 yen, widely seen as a threshold for actual intervention to prop up Japan’s currency.

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The Guardian

Tech companies invoke possibility of Trump’s wrath in fight against Labor’s media laws

Tech giants claim Australia’s free trade agreement with the United States will be violated, as they try to kill a proposal to force them to pay news companiesTech companies are invoking Australia’s free trade agreement with the United States, and threats of a Trump administration retaliation in a bid to kill off the federal government’s proposal to force them to pay news companies.The news media bargaining incentive is designed to force Meta, Google and TikTok to make commercial deals with Austr

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BBC World

China cracks down on soft porn, violence and materialism in viral micro dramas

Micro dramas have surged in popularity, but drawn criticism for often sensationalist content.

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The Guardian

UK shoppers return to high street as warm weather brings respite from shadow of war

British Retail Consortium figures show footfall rose in May, with consumer confidence improving after spending squeezeGreater numbers of consumers went shopping last month as spring sunshine brought welcome relief to retailers, which have faced a squeeze on spending since the US-Israel war on Iran.Figures from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and a separate survey by the accountancy firm BDO showed a bounce-back in footfall during May, reversing a sharp decline in April. Continue reading...

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BBC World

China's Xi Jinping to make rare visit to North Korea

Xi will be in North Korea from 8-9 June, a rare visit to the isolated regime that is a longstanding ally of Beijing.

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The Guardian

A uni professor admitted using AI to write an opinion piece. Here’s what it revealed about trust in the technology

Without disclosing that work has been generated using the technology, faith in existing industries will continue to be undermined Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcasWhen a university vice-chancellor this week admitted to using AI in writing an opinion piece for a major Australian masthead, but did not disclose that use prior to publication, it highlighted the growing gap between people’s use of AI and trust in the techn

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The Guardian

Andrew sublet three cottages while paying ‘peppercorn rent’ to crown estate

Report into royal property affairs reveals disgraced ex-prince generated private income from Windsor Royal LodgeAndrew Mountbatten-Windsor received private income from subletting three cottages on his Windsor Royal Lodge estate while paying a “peppercorn rent” to the crown estate, a report into royal property arrangements has revealed.The National Audit Office (NAO) review also shows that King Charles pays an “adjusted” rent from his private Duchy of Lancaster income, below open market value, fo

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NY Times World

The Priests Revered in the Land of Five Genders

The bissus of South Sulawesi are considered a link between the earthly and celestial because they are thought to embody both male and female traits.

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