Gavin Newsom tells supporters of redistricting proposal to ‘stop donating’ 28. October 2025 (19:19) California governor launched the effort to counter Texas’s gerrymander and has far out-raised measure’s opponentsWith just one week before California voters are set to head to the polls to decide on the state’s redistricting proposal, Gavin Newsom sent an unexpected message to would-be donors: keep your money.“We have hit our budget goals and raised what we need in order to pass Proposition 50. You can stop donating,” the California governor said in an email. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
False claims online damaged Brigitte Macron’s quality of life, daughter tells court 28. October 2025 (18:57) Tiphaine Auzière spoke at trial of 10 people accused of harassment by posting claims that French first lady was born a manBrigitte Macron’s daughter has told a Paris court that false claims online that the French first lady was born a man had damaged her mother’s quality of life, leaving her worrying every day about the clothes she wears and how she stands.Tiphaine Auzière, 41, a lawyer, was called as a witness at the trial of 10 people accused of online harassment of Brigitte Macron by creating or reposting social media posts falsely claiming she was a man. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Some of the earliest written notes in western musical history discovered in Pennsylvania 28. October 2025 (18:14) Ninth-century manuscript for Easter services remained ‘out of sight’ for years in hands of private collectorResearchers in Pennsylvania have uncovered what they believe are some of the earliest written notes in western musical history – on a ninth-century manuscript they say remained “hidden in plain sight” for years in the hands of a private collector.The notations – characters and dots similar to shorthand outlines – appear above the word “alleluia” on the document, a vellum manuscript leaf from a Latin sacramentary, a Catholic liturgical book used in western Europe during mass from the mid- to late 800s. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Gambling does not cause any ‘social ills’, lobbyist tells incredulous MPs 28. October 2025 (18:01) Head of UK’s Betting and Gaming Council was asked to repeat claim as she spoke against increasing taxes on sector in November budgetUK politics live – latest updatesThe boss of the UK’s main betting and gaming lobby group has told MPs that there is no “social ill with gambling” as she warned against imposing higher taxes on the sector in the November budget.Grainne Hurst, the chief executive of the Betting and Gaming Council, repeatedly made the statement to parliament’s Treasury select committee on Tuesday, where she also claimed that higher taxes would result in thousands of job losses and push punters into using hidden market services. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
MSNBC hosts criticize owner Comcast for donating to Trump ballroom 28. October 2025 (17:53) Rachel Maddow said Comcast ‘wants to pay for Trump to take … an excavator to the White House’Rachel Maddow, the most influential host on MSNBC, called out parent company Comcast on Monday night for being among the corporations that contributed financially to the White House’s expensive East Wing ballroom construction project.Last week, the White House released a list of 37 large corporations – including Google and Apple – and individual donors that have contributed to the $300m ballroom project. But only one, Comcast, owns and operates media companies, including the left-leaning MSNBC. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Hurricane Melissa: a visual guide to the strongest storm to hit Jamaica in almost two centuries 28. October 2025 (17:43) Slow-moving giant about to make landfall and will linger over the island before slamming into CubaHurricane Melissa – latest updatesHurricane Melissa is close to hitting Jamaica as a catastrophic category 5 storm, the strongest to lash the island since record-keeping began in 1851.The slow-moving giant will make landfall on Tuesday afternoon local time and linger over the island, moving diagonally through it until heading on to slam into Cuba, with impacts also expected in Haiti and the Bahamas. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Bankrupt Woking to get £500m bailout in Surrey council shake-up 28. October 2025 (17:33) ‘Unprecedented’ move helps to smooth over creation of two new ‘mega council’ unitary authorities Ministers have agreed to give bankrupt Woking council an “unprecedented” £500m taxpayer bailout under government plans to merge a dozen local authorities in Surrey.In a historic intervention, the communities secretary, Steve Reed, said the government would repay a significant chunk of the debt owed by the former Tory-run local authority. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Bill Gates calls for climate fight to shift focus from global heating to ‘improving lives’ 28. October 2025 (17:26) Billionaire’s statement comes a day after UN said humanity missed 1.5C climate targetBill Gates has called for a “strategic pivot” in the effort against the climate crisis, writing that the world should shift away from trying to limit rising temperatures to instead focusing on efforts to prevent disease and poverty.Writing on his Gates Notes website, the billionaire Microsoft co-founder criticized what he described as a “doomsday view of climate change” which is focusing “too much on near-term emissions goals”. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Donald Trump’s granddaughter Kai to make LPGA tour debut at $3.25m event in Florida 28. October 2025 (17:09) Teenager receives sponsor exemption for The AnnikaKai Trump is due to play college golf at MiamiDonald Trump’s granddaughter will be taking a detour on her way to playing college golf at the University of Miami – Kai Trump will make her LPGA Tour debut next month.The 18-year-old received a sponsor exemption on Tuesday to play in The Annika at Pelican Golf Club from 13 to 16 November, the penultimate event on the LPGA schedule. The tournament, which has a prize purse of $3.25m, is prestigious and typically has one of the strongest fields of the year outside the majors. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Teenager from Gaza ‘stuck in hell’ after being prevented from joining mother in UK 28. October 2025 (17:00) Dania Alafranji, 16, still waiting on visa from Home Office despite being offered school place in Berkshire 18 months agoA teenager from Gaza who has been denied an opportunity to attend school in Britain and be reunited with her mother has said she is “stuck in hell”, despite other European countries making exceptions for students from the region.Dania Alafranji, 16, was accepted on to the Nsouli Scholars Programme to attend Reddam House school in Berkshire more than 18 months ago, but has yet to receive a visa that would allow her to escape the war in Gaza, with her family saying that they feel helpless and have been “going in circles” trying to get her to Britain. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
