51 h. ago Resilience of Europe’s populist right carries warning for US Democrats

As Democrats bask in electoral success the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland and Hungary offer a cautionary taleIn the afterglow of electoral triumph, hope springs renewed for Democrats confined to the frustrating impotence of political opposition.Boosted by last week’s electoral wins in New York City, Virginia, New Jersey and elsewhere, as well as California’s affirmation of Proposition 50 allowing for congressional redistricting, party members suddenly feel able to dream that future elections may herald an escape route from the Donald Trump era. Continue reading...

Events

56 h. ago Brunaupark review – housing estate dwellers vs property developers in rousing but unequal battle

This heartfelt film bears witness to a defiant community, forms a vital piece of oral history and shows the resilience of those determined to stay onIn many cities across Europe, there is a familiar sight of longstanding housing estates being gutted to make way for more expensive builds. Felix Hergert and Dominik Zietlow’s heartfelt film focuses on one such complex, the vibrant Brunaupark in Zurich. Consisting of five residential tenements, the area is home to more than 400 tenants, who have created a close-knit multicultural community over the decades. Credit Suisse, whose pension fund owns the building, has other ideas. The people of Brunaupark are served with notices as proposals for partial demolition and new construction get under way.Going from door to door, this documentary forms a vital piece of oral history, bearing witness to the defiance and resilience of those determined to stay. Each story is filled with colourful memories: one restaurant owner, who has been forced to g...

Events

9 d. ago Top 10 US billionaires’ collective wealth grew by $698bn in past year – report

Oxfam warns Trump policies risk driving inequality to new heights – but Democrats have also exacerbated wealth gapThe collective wealth of the top 10 US billionaires has soared by $698bn in the past year, according to a new report from Oxfam America published on Monday on the growing wealth divide.The report warns that Trump administration policies risk driving US inequality to new heights, but points out that both Republican and Democratic administrations have exacerbated the US’s growing wealth gap. Continue reading...

Economics

2 w. ago Renewable energy investment should come from defence budgets, say retired military leaders

Former European officers say spending on low-carbon power would make nations more resilient to threats from potential aggressorsInvestment in renewable energy should be counted under defence expenditure, says a group of retired senior military personnel, because the climate crisis represents a threat to national security.They have called for increased spending on low-carbon power as a way of making the UK and other European countries more resilient to threats from Russia and other potential aggressors. Continue reading...

Events

3 w. ago No Kings protest live updates: millions march against Trump in nationwide day of protest

Democratic lawmakers including Bernie Sanders, Raphael Warnock and Chuck Schumer among protestersWhat to know about the anti-Trump protests attracting millionsDemocratic officials across the US have posted in support of the No Kings protests.The Senate minority leader, Chuck Schumer, wrote on Saturday morning in a social media post: “Do not let Donald Trump and Republicans intimidate you into silence. That’s what they want to do. They’re afraid of the truth. Speak out, use your voice, and exercise your right to free speech.”“They have a ‘Hate America’ rally that’s scheduled for October 18 on the National Mall,” the House speaker, Mike Johnson, said on Fox News on Friday. “It’s all the pro-Hamas wing and, you know, the antifa people. They’re all coming out.”The Republican Minnesota congressman Tom Emmer said the party’s “terrorist wing” was holding the “Hate America” rally. “Democrats want to keep the government shut down to show all those people that are going to come here and expre...

Politics

3 w. ago No Kings protest live updates: thousands march against Trump in nationwide day of protest

Bernie Sanders and Raphael Warnock among Democratic lawmakers speaking at ralliesWhat to know about the anti-Trump protests attracting millionsDemocratic officials across the US have posted in support of the No Kings protests.The Senate minority leader, Chuck Schumer, wrote on Saturday morning in a social media post: “Do not let Donald Trump and Republicans intimidate you into silence. That’s what they want to do. They’re afraid of the truth. Speak out, use your voice, and exercise your right to free speech.”“They have a ‘Hate America’ rally that’s scheduled for October 18 on the National Mall,” the House speaker, Mike Johnson, said on Fox News on Friday. “It’s all the pro-Hamas wing and, you know, the antifa people. They’re all coming out.”The Republican Minnesota congressman Tom Emmer said the party’s “terrorist wing” was holding the “Hate America” rally. “Democrats want to keep the government shut down to show all those people that are going to come here and express their hatred ...

Politics

3 w. ago The Guardian view on the US and Venezuela: Trump’s ‘war on drugs’ ramps up military threats to Maduro | Editorial

Hawks want regime change. Democrats and others are right to warn against illegal and unauthorised use of forceThe drumbeat is growing louder. Covert operations are supposed to remain just that, but on Wednesday Donald Trump confirmed that he had approved secret CIA actions in Venezuela and suggested that he was considering strikes on its territory. These comments follow the administration’s extrajudicial killings at sea: attacks on alleged drug boats in the Caribbean that have left at least 27 dead – a frightening new precedent denounced by UN experts as illegal. The US has already built up forces in the region, with about 6,500 troops now stationed there. “No to war in the Caribbean No to regime change No to coups d’état orchestrated by the CIA,” railed Nicolás Maduro, Venezuela’s dictator, after Mr Trump’s remarks.The US president’s repeated claim that each boat strike saves 25,000 American lives is even more preposterous than it first sounds. The fentanyl that killed 48,000 peopl...

Events

4 w. ago Digital ID risks becoming another 'costly white elephant', Liberal Democrats warn as figures show existing Government IT projects will cost taxpayers £31 billion

Analysis has found that most major Government IT schemes are already delayed or over budget , prompting warnings that the new plan for mandatory digital ID will suffer the same fate.

Economics