Son of Vietnamese refugees beats Michelle Steel in seat drawn to give Asian Americans stronger voice in capitalDemocrat Derek Tran ousted Republican Michelle Steel in a southern California House district Wednesday that was specifically drawn to give Asian Americans a stronger voice on Capitol Hill.Steel said in a statement: Like all journeys, this one is ending for a new one to begin." When she captured the seat in 2020, Steel joined Washington state Democrat Marilyn Strickland and California Republican Young Kim as the first Korean American women elected to Congress. Continue reading...
It's the result of a system designed to weaponise our brain chemistry against us - oh, we shouldn't buy that, but what if we did?I procrastinated starting this article. I was all set up and ready to begin writing when I received an email from a store I've never visited with a great deal on items I do not need and cannot afford, even with an outrageously good discount.Philosophically, I am not a materialist. Practically, I really enjoy things, and the having of them. Sorry, another quick delay as I look at this $550 chess board. Seems a little extravagant but when you consider the savings, it would be silly not to have it.James Colley is the head writer of the ABC's Gruen and Question Everything as well as the author of The Next Big Thing published by Pantera Press Continue reading...
Mike Rounds submitted bill that needs supermajority to pass, unlikely even in GOP-controlled Senate next yearA bill that would accomplish Donald Trump's goal of abolishing the federal Department of Education has been introduced into the US Senate.The Republican senator Mike Rounds of South Dakota introduced the bill, called the Returning Education to Our States Act, on Thursday. If passed, the bill would see $200bn in funding and the work of the education department redistributed to other federal agencies and states. Continue reading...
by Hannah Al-Othman North of England Correspondent on (#6SHWF)
Daniel Andreas San Diego had been a fugitive from the FBI for two decades before he was found in Maenan villageMaenan, in north Wales, is not a place where very much happens. But earlier this week armed police descended on this tiny settlement, leaving neighbours in disbelief".They learned that a man they had sometimes seen near his home on the outskirts of the woods was in fact one of the FBI's most wanted men. Continue reading...
Retired US army general and former Pence aide tapped for newly conceived role to negotiate amid ongoing warDonald Trump has picked Keith Kellogg to serve as a special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, a newly conceived role given the ongoing war between the two countries.Kellogg, an 80-year-old retired US army lieutenant general, would start in the role as Russia's invasion of Ukraine continues into its third year. Continue reading...
Despite 2015 settlement and consent decree, judge says conditions have worsened over the last decadeA federal judge found New York City in contempt on Wednesday over conditions in its city jails, saying things have only worsened in the nine years since the city settled accusations of abuse and violence.The judge, Laura Taylor Swain, in Manhattan issued a written ruling finding the city in contempt over 18 separate contempt claims. Continue reading...
Unusual Machines says president's eldest son has wealth of experience' as globally recognized business leader'A little-known Florida-based drones company said on Wednesday it had appointed Donald Trump Jr as an adviser - then saw its stock price surge.Don Jr joining our board of advisors provides us unique expertise we need as we bring drone component manufacturing back to America," said Allan Evans, chief executive of Unusual Machines. Continue reading...
The US-brokered agreement is a breakthrough for suffering civilians. But a deal on Netanyahu's terms offers scant hope to PalestiniansUnsurprisingly, Joe Biden struck an upbeat, optimistic note on Tuesday as he announced a US-brokered ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah. It reminds us that peace is possible," said Mr Biden, as the deal brought to an end the 14-month conflict, during which close to 4,000 people lost their lives andhundreds of thousands were displaced.For the outgoing American president, who hassignally failed to restrain Israel's excesses aftertheheinous Hamas massacre of 7 October 2023, the agreement amounts to a valedictory breakthroughafter months of weak and ineffective diplomacy. More importantly, it affords the suffering people of Lebanon some respite, after a bombing campaign and ground invasion that paid scant regardto the appalling impact on civilian lives. For the 60,000 citizens of Israel forced to flee the country's northern border region by Hezbollah rockets, there is the prospect of a return home after spending morethan a year in displacement camps. Continue reading...
First major report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention tallies abortion provision in the post-Roe USDespite the wave of state abortion bans that took effect after the US supreme court overturned Roe v Wade in June 2022, the number of abortions performed in the US fell by only 2% that year, according to the first major report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to tally abortion provision in the post-Roe United States.The findings in the report, released Wednesday, echo other research that has uncovered that US abortion rates have surprisingly risen in the years since Roe's demise. In 2023, the US saw more than 1m abortions, according to the Guttmacher Institute, which tracks abortions and restrictions on the procedure - the highest number recorded in more than a decade. Continue reading...
US and state acknowledge that 1980 agreement was biased and distorted' against Confederated Tribes of Siletz IndiansDrumming made the floor vibrate and singing filled the conference room of the Chinook Winds Casino Resort in Lincoln City, on the Oregon coast, as hundreds in tribal regalia danced in a circle.For the last 47 years, the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians have held an annual powwow to celebrate regaining federal recognition. This month's event, however, was especially significant: it came just two weeks after a federal court lifted restrictions on the tribe's rights to hunt, fish and gather - restrictions tribal leaders had opposed for decades. Continue reading...
by Amy Hawkins and agencies in Washington on (#6SHJY)
Mark Swidan, Kai Li and John Leung freed after Biden administration forges rare agreement with BeijingThree American citizens imprisoned for years by China have been released in a prisoner swap, the White House has said, announcing a rare diplomatic agreement with Beijing in the final months of the Biden administration.The three are Mark Swidan, Kai Li and John Leung, all of whom had been designated by the US government as wrongfully detained. Swidan had been facing a death sentence on drug charges while Li and Leung were imprisoned on espionage charges. Continue reading...
The cost of Trump's tariffs is likely to be passed on to consumers. We would like to hear about the products you may buy ahead of his second termPrices for US goods could rise in January. Donald Trump has said he will impose tariffs of 25% on all goods from Canada and Mexico, and an additional 10% on goods from China, if they do not stop illegal immigration and fentanyl smuggling. The cost of the tariffs is likely to be passed on to consumers.According to a Harris poll conducted for the Guardian, nearly half of Americans (44%) are planning purchases ahead of Trump entering office, in case he ends up implementing tariffs. Continue reading...
Electric guitar maker claims president-elect-endorsed merchandise infringes on Les Paul trademarkGibson, the maker of famous electric guitars, has issued a cease and desist order to the company behind a range of Trump Guitars" endorsed by the US president-elect.Gibson told Guitar World, which first reported the story, it took action because the design of the instruments being sold as Trump Guitars infringes upon Gibson's exclusive trademarks, particularly the iconic Les Paul body shape". Continue reading...
Tariffs raise prices much like the GST - and like the GST it hurts people on low and middle incomes the mostIf anyone was under any delusion that Donald Trump was not going to be as bonkers as he said he would be, then his announcement on Tuesday that he would slap a 25% tariff on all imports from Canada and Mexico (and deeper tariffs on China) should remove all doubt.Tariff" has become the economic word of the year thanks to the incoming US president. Continue reading...
Trump's policies could aid terrorist and far-right groups who use cryptocurrency to help quietly finance their endsThe return of Donald Trump in the White House is promising many things: mass deportations, an end to inflation, and perhaps the first cryptocurrency-friendly presidency, which is widely expected to loosen regulations on the emergent technology.While that is music to the ears of crypto investors and enthusiasts who poured money into his campaign, there are other unlikely winners for such policies, including far-right extremists and terrorist organizations who are using crypto to finance their ends. Continue reading...
Chance, demographics or even people reluctant to voice support for Trump could all be reasons for discrepancyIn the weeks leading up to the 2024 presidential election, Guardian polling averages showed Kamala Harris winning an incredibly close race. Still, Donald Trump won, showing that yet again his volume of support was underestimated.Though Guardian US averages had Harris winning, the final result was within the margin of errors for high-quality polls conducted this election cycle. Continue reading...
Even among a host of TV personalities and alleged sex traffickers, far-right commentator is a step too far for someDonald Trump's selection of the far-right commentator Sebastian Gorka for a senior national security post has prompted outrage and ridicule over a pick that seems extreme even amid a stream of nominations of conspiracy theorists, alleged sex traffickers, TV hosts and repeaters of Russian state propaganda.Last week, Trump named Gorka deputy assistant to the president and senior director for counter-terrorism. Unlike top national security picks - Tulsi Gabbard for director of national intelligence, Pete Hegseth for secretary of defense - the position is not subject to Senate confirmation. Continue reading...
Rumours the company is in its death throes underestimate the actor's talent for business - and the public's insatiable appetite for kooky wellness gimmicksVAGINA! VAGINA! VAGINA!" That, in a nutshell (possibly the wrong metaphor), was the key to success for Gwyneth Paltrow's lifestyle brand, Goop, for many years: headline-grabbing wacky health advice and weird products that were often vagina-adjacent.Paltrow once spelled out this strategy in a lecture to a Harvard Business School (HBS) class. It was great publicity, she explained, when people mocked Goop for doing things such as urging women to steam their vaginas to balance their hormones; the free PR caused cultural firestorms" and she could monetise those eyeballs". According to a 2018 New York Times profile, Paltrow followed these nuggets of wisdom by cupping her hands around her mouth and yodelling vagina" three times, as if it were some sort of magical incantation that made money rain down on you. (I've tried it at home, it didn't work for me.) Continue reading...
The former Giants quarterback had his career in New York cut short. But that doesn't mean he can't reinvent himself elsewhereIn each of the last three seasons, a quarterback who was highly drafted but did not initially fulfill started to flourish in a new location with the right offense and coaching staff.In 2022, the Seattle Seahawks decided 2013 second-round New York Jets pick Geno Smith would replace Russell Wilson as their franchise quarterback after Smith had been a washout with the Jets, the New York Giants, and the Los Angeles Chargers. Smith has been a plus-level starter in the Emerald City ever since. Continue reading...
Hezbollah is still armed and has the potential to attack Israel. But more significantly it has in effect abandoned HamasNow that the dust has settled, quite literally, following the ceasefire agreement between Hezbollah and Israel, it is crucial to ask whether this deal will last - because, let's face it, we've been here before.In 2006, Hezbollah and Israel fought viciously for more than a month for reasons not dissimilar to today's context. By conducting a cross-border raid against Israeli troops, Hezbollah sought to alleviate some pressure on Hamas, which was battling with Israel in Gaza. The operation backfired, triggering a devastating conflict that led to the killing of roughly 1,100 Lebanese and 160 Israelis, and to massive displacement and damage to infrastructure in southern Lebanon. At home, Hezbollah was heavily criticised by most of Lebanese society for its unilateral decision, but, as always, it evaded accountability thanks to its guns.Bilal Y Saab, an associate fellow with Chatham House, is the head of the US-Middle East practice of Trends Research & AdvisoryDo you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here. Continue reading...
The Olympic 100m champion plays a starring role in the second season of Netflix documentary Sprint. And he is still as outspoken as everShortly after crossing the finish line in the 200m final at this summer's Olympics, Noah Lyles collapsed to the ground out of breath. He lingered there, gasping and clutching at his chest for what felt like an age before medics arrived and carted him off the Stade de France track in a wheelchair. Later, Lyles made the bombshell revelation that he had been suffering from Covid for three days. The scene, an Olympic cliffhanger that rivaled only the American's golden photo-finish in the 100m final days earlier, is among the major inflection points in the 2024 track season offered up for closer examination in the second season of Sprint - the hit fly-on-the-wall series that follows some of the biggest names in the sport and released on Netflix this month.Ultimately, Lyles was able to savor the bronze he won in the 200m - another keepsake to remind him of his personal triumphs over dyslexia, ADD, anxiety and depression. But when he sat down to rewatch the episode dealing with the 200m months later with his fiancee, the Jamaican sprinter Junelle Bromfield, Lyles said he could barely get through it. Yeah, I'm proud of the moment," he tells me, but it's still so hard to watch because I can only constantly just think what if. What if I didn't get [Covid]?" Continue reading...
The former Aston Villa manager on helping USA to Olympic glory, pushing herself to the limit and a return to the dugoutFully in holiday mode", Carla Ward had enjoyed a few drinks when the surprise phone call came from Emma Hayes. The USA head coach was asking her to come and work for her during a large sporting event taking place in France in July and August. I'll be really honest, I'd had a few glasses of wine or a few strawberry daiquiris, I can't remember which, and I didn't take it seriously," the former Aston Villa manager recalls. I was like: I've got a holiday booked, let me see if I can change it.' And my friend said: What is wrong with you? This is the Olympics!' - then it dropped in my brain. Emma meant: Come to the Olympics.'"Ward is certainly glad she said yes. The 40-year-old joined Hayes' backroom team as a scout analysing opponents during a campaign that ended with the US team winning gold in Paris, and speaking in the buildup to the USA's match against England at Wembley, she recalls an unforgettable learning opportunity. There was never one doubt in my mind that she was going to win gold," Ward says of Hates. Being around the team 24/7, you knew there was an air of calm, there was an air of confidence. People hang on her every word, and rightly so. To see how she delivers messages and creates this environment is sensational. For me, she's the best in the world." Continue reading...
With the nation's finances in a parlous state, decriminalisation could raise millions of euros - as well as cut crimeFrance might not be broke, but the state of its public finances is, well, definitely not good. Total debt stands at 3.2tn - 112% of GDP. Interest payments on that debt are the second largest public expenditure after education (which includes everything from creche, or preschool, to universities) and are higher than the amount spent on defence. And this year's budget deficit is projected to be 6%, three points above the EU's 3% limit.If it weren't for the euro, France might very well be in the throes of a fiscal crisis - as it is, interest rates on some French debt are higher than for Portugal or Spain. Continue reading...
by Shaun Walker Central and eastern Europe correspond on (#6SH7P)
Intelligence agency has been trying to entice Russians disaffected by invasion of Ukraine but president-elect is likely to want to make an ally of KremlinFor the past three years, the CIA has run an unusually bold outreach programme. It targeted Russians within the country's government and security services, attempting to turn them into double agents.Slickly produced recruitment videos portrayed cooperation with the US secret agency as the patriotic choice for officials disaffected with Vladimir Putin's regime and the war in Ukraine. The videos ended with instructions on how to contact the CIA in a secure manner. Continue reading...
by Charlie Scudder in Waco, Texas, and Ramon Antonio on (#6SH2C)
Revelation emerges at hearing for Anthony Odiong, 55, charged with several counts and held in Texas on $5.5m bailA Roman Catholic priest with links to Texas and Louisiana who is facing criminal charges for allegedly abusing his position of authority within the church to pursue sex with vulnerable women fathered at least two children with victims of his behavior, authorities have alleged.The stunning information about Anthony Odiong surfaced at a bail hearing on Tuesday in Waco, Texas, where prosecutors have charged him with several counts of sexually assaulting women to whom he ministered. Continue reading...
Attorney Jamieson Greer to play key role in trade team and investor Jim O'Neill picked to be RFK Jr's health deputyDonald Trump announced his selections for a series of positions in his administration Tuesday evening. The posts include the president-elect's picks for deputy secretary of health and human services, US trade representative and head of the national economic council, among others.Jamieson Greer, an attorney who served under Trump's previous trade representative Robert Lighthizer, will serve as US trade representative. In his announcement, Trump said: Jamieson played a key role during my First Term in imposing Tariffs on China and others to combat unfair Trade practices, and replacing the failed NAFTA deal with USMCA, therefore making it much better for American Workers." Continue reading...
US authorities allege Californian man Raj Matharu tried to conceal more than 1kg of drugs soaked into items of clothingAn alleged would-be drug smuggler soaked a cow onesie in methamphetamine, part of a whole suitcase full of clothes he tried to sneak aboard a plane, US justice officials have said.Raj Matharu allegedly checked in two bags at Los Angeles international airport on a flight to Sydney, Australia, the US Department of Justice said on Tuesday. Continue reading...
by Helen Sullivan (now); Cecilia Nowell, Erum Salam, on (#6SGEW)
This live coverage has ended. you can find our US politics stories here.Donald Trump has used the fentanyl crisis gripping the US to support his ambition to impose trade tariffs on China. It gives the incoming US president an opportunity to both appear to be addressing the narcotics emergency, while also reinforcing one of his key aims in terms of US trade.China is the dominant source of chemical precursors used by Mexican cartels to produce fentanyl, while Chinese money launderers have also become key players in the international drug trade, US authorities say.Trump has said that, as soon as he gets into office, he will impose a 25% tariff on ALL products coming into the United States" from Mexico and Canada.He says the tariffs will remain in place until both countries clamp down on migrants and drugs crossing the border into the US.Trump also says he will impose a further 10% tariff above any additional tariffs" on all products coming into the US from China.It was not entirely clear what this would mean for China as Trump has previously pledged to end China's most-favoured-nation trading status and slap tariffs on Chinese imports in excess of 60% - much higher than those imposed during his first term.The reasons for the China tariff, Trump said, was their failure to curb the supply of drugs into the US. China is a major producer of the chemicals used to manufacture fentanyl. Continue reading...
Officials sign memorandum of understanding although details suggest some breaks with standard practiceDonald Trump's team announced on Tuesday it had signed an agreement to start the complex process of transferring control of the federal government to themselves, although the details of the plan suggested some breaks with standard practice.The incoming White House chief of staff Susie Wiles said the team would now be sending in landing teams" into the various departments and agencies as it prepares to take over the bureaucracy of the executive branch. Continue reading...
Firefighter was lowered into shaft and dog, who was a good sport', was secured and raised out', authorities saidFirefighters fetched a dog from an abandoned mine shaft in northern California after it fell 50ft.Firefighters were called around 3.40am last Thursday to a mine located in El Dorado county, roughly 68 miles east of Sacramento. Continue reading...
Tom Homan issues threat to Democrat Mike Johnston, who says he will resist Trump's mass deportation planTom Homan, Donald Trump's hardline incoming border czar, has threatened to put the mayor of Denver in jail after the latter said he was willing to risk incarceration to resist the president-elect's migrant mass deportation plan.The threat was issued against Mike Johnston, a Democrat, who said he was not afraid of being jailed and encouraged people to protest against mass round-ups of immigrants in their cities and communities. Continue reading...
Daniel Andreas San Diego, 46, was wanted in connection with two office building bombings in 2003One of the FBI's most wanted fugitives has been arrested in the Welsh countryside.Daniel Andreas San Diego, 46, has been on the FBI's most wanted terrorists" list for almost two decades for his alleged involvement in two office building bombings in San Francisco in 2003. Continue reading...
US trade policies since 2016 highlight a broader global retreat from globalisation, driven by geopolitical tensions and shifting economic prioritiesDonald Trump's broadside against America's three largest trading partners, with whom it runs a $500bn trade deficit, should surprise no one. Since 2016, both MrTrump and Mr Biden have departed from established norms in international trade. The two presidencies diverged significantly in approach: MrBiden emphasised systemic reform while MrTrumprelied on rhetoric and theatrics. Although both administrations faced criticism for driving up costs through tariffs and industrial policy, global events wereprimarily behind rising prices.Mr Trump's self-declared fondness for tariffs is closely tied to his ability to authorise them unilaterally, bypassing Congress under claims of national security. This may explain his recent announcement of plans to impose 25% tariffs on all goods from Canada and Mexico, and an additional 10% on Chinese imports, unless these countries address alleged issues of illegal immigration and fentanyl smuggling. The US president-elect clearly sees tariffs as more than mere policies; they are a calculated means of gaining leverage. By threatening to impose them, MrTrump is signalling a desire to negotiate - but only on his terms.Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here. Continue reading...
Rule expected to shorten wait for organs for all, as before it such transplants could only be done as part of researchPeople with HIV who need a kidney or liver transplant will be able to receive an organ from a donor with HIV under a new rule announced on Tuesday by US health officials.Previously, such transplants could be done only as part of research studies. The new rule, which takes effect on Wednesday, is expected to shorten the wait for organs for all, regardless of HIV status, by increasing the pool of available organs. Continue reading...
Claudia Sheinbaum rebukes Trump and says his plan would do nothing to stem flow of migrants or drugs bound for USMexico's president, Claudia Sheinbaum, has rebuked Donald Trump's threat to impose steep tariffs on Mexico, arguing the plan would do nothing to halt the flow of migrants or drugs bound for the US border, and vowing that Mexico would hit back with tariffs of its own.One tariff would be followed by another in response, and so on until we put at risk common businesses," Sheinbaum said, warning that tariffs would cause inflation and job losses in both countries. What sense is there?" Continue reading...
Lincoln Continental with one human bone inside could belong to New York couple who disappeared on drive home from FloridaA Georgia police department says it has found a car that could contain the remains of a New York couple who have been missing since 1980.The car, a Lincoln Continental with one human bone inside, was found in a pond between the Royal Inn Hotel and Interstate 95 on New Jesup Highway, by a non-profit investigative group from Florida called the Sunshine State Sonar Team, police said. Continue reading...
US president-elect posted on social media about plan to impose 25% tariff on Mexico and Canada over immigrationJustin Trudeau has called an emergency meeting with provincial premiers across Canada after the US president-elect, Donald Trump, threatened a 25% tariff on the United States' northern neighbour.Trump posted on social media that he would sign all necessary documents" to charge Mexico and Canada a 25% tariff on all goods products coming into the United States, adding the levy would remain in place until such time as drugs, in particular fentanyl, and all illegal aliens stop this invasion of our country!" Continue reading...
Extreme weather expected to bring dangerous wind chills, lake effect snow, and severe thunderstorms'Millions of Americans will face severe weather - and low temperatures - as they travel for the Thanksgiving holiday on Thursday.The National Weather Service (NWS) issued an announcement on Monday that an arctic blast is expected to bring dangerous wind chills, lake effect snow, and severe thunderstorms". Continue reading...
While self-help books might suggest manifesting new people in your life or cold-water plunges to change your entire personality, the key to finding a community is much simplerIt started in my mid-30s: The Great Slipping Away. Gradually, and then suddenly, the friends I had in New York started to disappear. Some moved out of the city. Others moved into different phases of their lives: they became laser-focused on their careers and had no spare time. Or they had kids, and hanging out became harder.Then I became one of the people who had kids and moved out of the city and all my local friends slipped away. A couple of years ago I moved to Philadelphia, a city where my wife and I only vaguely knew a grand total of two people. We were drawn to Philly by its affordability but we underestimated just how difficult it is to build a new community from scratch. As an introverted freelancer who doesn't have colleagues I see every day (even if just over Zoom), I certainly didn't anticipate how much effort I would have to make if I didn't want to become a complete hermit. Continue reading...
Company will no longer consider race and gender when making offers to suppliers and will remove LGBTQ+ merchandiseWalmart, the world's largest retailer, will phase out several diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in its workplaces, as far-right conservatives continue take aim at such programs.Among several sweeping changes, the company will no longer consider race and gender as a means to improve diversity when making offers to suppliers, several outlets reported. Continue reading...
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