Rejoining the EU, Burnham’s donors and the bedroom tax: Politics Weekly answers your questions – podcast 31. August 2026 (06:00) Will the UK ever rejoin the EU? Who is funding Andy Burnham? And will the bedroom tax be scrapped? In a special episode, Kiran Stacey and Peter Walker answer some of your questionsPlease keep sending your comments and questions to Pippa and Kiran at politicsweeklyuk@theguardian.com Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Victorian prisoners to be sent out to repair roads under Labor’s pothole plan 31. August 2026 (03:04) Inmates would take over ‘basic’ road maintenance duties, allowing skilled crews to focus on fixing 500,000 potholesFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastVictorian prisoners will be put to work on road maintenance as part of Labor’s plan to fix the state’s potholes if re-elected.The state’s premier, Ben Carroll, outlined the plan on Monday off the back of an announcement on Sunday that the government would be increasing the road maintenance budget by $352m to fix 500,000 potholes by the end of January. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
At least 15 people may be missing after flash flood in Arizona’s Grand Canyon 31. August 2026 (02:01) Dozens evacuated after flash-flood event near Bright Angel Canyon and Phantom Ranch, officials sayAt least 15 people may be missing or unaccounted for after a major flash flood swept through the Grand Canyon national park in Arizona on Saturday afternoon, according to the National Park Service.The flash-flood event occurred in the area of Bright Angel Canyon and the Phantom Ranch, where park staff and the Arizona department of public safety have evacuated more than 60 people as of Sunday morning. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Australia news live: Joyce calls One Nation byelection win ‘decisive’ and ‘humbling’; Oscar Jenkins gives first interview since Russia conviction 31. August 2026 (00:02) One Nation MP says voters are disillusioned with traditional political parties. Follow the day’s news liveGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastGovernment announces ID protection service and privacy reformsThe government says it will develop a digital identity service that will allow Australians to block or monitor the use of their ID documents that are used for verification through its document verification service.Whether their driver licence details have been exposed in a data breach or they are concerned about scams and identity theft, IDLock will give Australians an accessible and simple way to have greater visibility, control and confidence in how their identity documents are used.We know fraud and scams have been front of mind recently after several major data hacks including most recently Origin energy, but you might have to wait a bit longer before accessing this new ‘IDLock’ service - it’ll be tested later this year, and rolled out nationally in 2027. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
USDA reportedly shelves cyclospora research amid relocations and fund cuts 30. August 2026 (23:10) Trump officials shuttering three projects on foodborne parasite, two defunded by Congress, Politico reportsThe Trump administration is shuttering two of the three US Department of Agriculture research projects studying cyclospora after the foodborne parasite has sickened tens of thousands of Americans during the summer, Politico reported on Sunday.The two projects were defunded by Congress earlier in the year, while the third is due to be moved in coming months from Maryland to Iowa as part of a broader USDA reorganization, according to the report. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
US strikes Iranian launchers on Larak island amid strait of Hormuz tensions 30. August 2026 (23:05) Attack was response to Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps preparing rockets to launch sea mines into strait, says USUS forces have struck two Iranian launchers on Iran’s Larak island on Sunday, a US official said, marking the first known American strikes since late July.“I can confirm that earlier today US forces struck two Iranian launchers on Larak island. Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps forces were observed preparing to launch rockets with sea mines into the strait of Hormuz,” the official said. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
All-time great Aaron Donald comes out of retirement to rejoin stacked LA Rams 30. August 2026 (22:42) Los Angeles were already Super Bowl favoritesDefensive tackle was 10-time Pro Bowler with Rams35-year-old aiming to win second Super Bowl in LAAaron Donald, one of the greatest defensive players in NFL history, is coming out of retirement to rejoin his only professional team, the Los Angeles Rams.During a 10-season career with the Rams, who drafted him with the 13th overall pick in 2014, Donald was a three-time defensive player of the year and an eight-time first team All-Pro. He won a Super Bowl with the Rams at the end of the 2021 season before announcing his retirement in March 2024 at the age of 32. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Australian boxing great Tony Mundine dies aged 75 30. August 2026 (22:25) Father of former boxer and NRL star Anthony Mundine had a heart attack on SundayWarning: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised that this article contains images and names of Indigenous Australians who have diedFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastIndigenous Australian boxing great Tony Mundine has died, aged 75.The father of former boxer and NRL star Anthony Mundine had a heart attack on Sunday. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Trump ‘border czar’ denies that Milo Yiannopoulos was deported for political reasons 30. August 2026 (21:04) Tom Homan says rightwing influencer overstayed visitor visa after receiving final order of removalThe White House “border czar,” Tom Homan, denied on Sunday that the British far-right commentator Milo Yiannopoulos was deported just a day after being arrested by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for political reasons.Homan said it was his understanding that Yiannopoulos, 41, had overstayed what he believed to be a visitor visa, had not appeared at an immigration hearing and was issued a final order of removal on 22 July. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Prisons ‘one major event from disaster’ after U-turn on early release scheme 30. August 2026 (20:50) Critics say the move, which will keep PC Harper’s killers in jail, leaves number of prison spaces ‘too close to the bone’PC Andrew Harper’s killers will remain behind bars after a critical intervention by Andy Burnham, but the move has led to warnings that overcrowded prisons will be left “one major event away from disaster”.Announcing a U-turn on the early release scheme after weeks of intense pressure, Burnham said he understood “how strongly people feel about this issue”. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
