San Jose officer fired for misusing Flock camera database in domestic abuse case

• Hardline factions in Iran are leveraging escalating tensions with the United States to consolidate domestic power. • Holly Dagres of The Washington Institute for Near East Policy notes that rigid power centers are strengthening despite widespread Iranian belief that the state is plagued by corruption and repression.

• The Vatican convened an international symposium to document systemic violence and religious persecution against faith communities in the Middle East and the Global South. • The event focused on the geopolitics of 21st-century faith and the specific patterns of violence targeting believers in these regions.

• An Iranian commercial vessel was attacked near Qeshm Island, resulting in one death and four injuries. • An official attributed the attack to the "US terrorist enemy."

The 8ft statue, installed in Phoenix last week to mark one year since Kirk’s killing, was found painted redA newly unveiled statue of the rightwing activist Charlie Kirk was vandalized at the Turning Point USA headquarters in Phoenix, Arizona.The statue was found with red spray-paint. A nearby poster memorial in front of the statue was vandalized with red paint as well. Continue reading...

Follow the day’s news liveGet our new political email, free app or daily news podcastAustralian households could save $5,000 a year by electrifying their homes and cars, AAP reports, and more than 30 organisations will call for incentives and stronger policies in Canberra as part of a national campaign.The campaign is linked to the international Electrify Now campaign, and follows a COP31 push to raise the global electrification rate from about 20% to 35% by 2035.There’s a role for the Australian government to send a clear signal that electrification is happening and that it’s what the future of our energy system will depend on.At the moment, federal policy is sending mixed messages.Too often we ask, “why didn’t she leave?,” when we should have asked, where would she go? We know that safe housing is absolutely critical to help women and children leave violence. That’s why we are building more than ever before. Continue reading...

Disturbing and AI-generated versions of Dr Seuss character have been used to threaten schools and communitiesSchools and law enforcement authorities in the US are issuing warnings against a viral “Cat in the Hat” social media trend in which disturbing or AI-generated versions of the Dr Seuss character are used to threaten students, schools and communities.The latest warnings come as safety concerns increase and several teenagers have been arrested or charged over posts connected to the trend. Continue reading...

Jefferson county coroner says 40-year-old woman died on Saturday, while two infants died with disease in AugustA coroner in Pennsylvania announced the death of a 40-year-old woman associated with the state’s ongoing measles outbreak. The death appears to mark the third in the US state’s ongoing outbreak.Two previous deaths in the state were in infant children. In one case, the infant was born with a genetic defect that made her vulnerable to infection. The second infant child was infected with measles, and died of a ruptured spleen. Continue reading...

US president says ‘many people agree’ with his view on unification, brushing off Andy Burnham’s opposition to referendumDonald Trump has reiterated his support for Irish unification and brushed off Andy Burnham’s opposition to a referendum. “Everybody says that. Then things happen,” the US president said on Sunday of the British prime minister’s response.“It seems to me that one of the naturals of all time is to put them together,” Trump said of the unification of Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Continue reading...

Call for ‘constitutional change in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland’ likely to challenge Burnham’s devolution agendaThe first ministers of Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are meeting to affirm their nations’ right to seek independence from the UK, as part of a summit that is likely to challenge Andy Burnham’s devolution agenda.Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth, Scottish National party leader John Swinney and Sinn Féin vice president Michelle O’Neill are expected to sign a memorandum of understanding at a landmark conference in Cardiff on Monday, calling on Westminster “to prepare, plan and facilitate constitutional change in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland”. Continue reading...

Woman’s family says she died of injuries after being shot in the head while sitting inside a tent near Khan YounisA pregnant Palestinian woman died on Saturday from injuries sustained after being shot in the head by Israeli forces south of Khan Younis, according to her family and medical workers, as strikes across Gaza killed more than 10 people over the previous 48 hours.The woman, named as Iman Shalouf, 27, who was nearly eight months pregnant, was sitting inside her family’s tent in the al-Mawasi area of Khan Younis when Israeli gunfire struck her in the head, according to paramedics and witnesses. Continue reading...

The man who once helped Richard ‘Dirty’ Desmond save a load of tax was wheeled out to face Laura KuenssbergYou wait years for one party donation of £36m and then two come along at once. Reform can hardly believe its luck. All hail the crypto billionaires. Tacky pale turquoise suits all round. And Nigel Farage won’t have to worry about spending any of his own money – if you can call the £5m freebie his own money – on his security. Nor do those champagne and oysters lunches to discuss loose change donations of £500K from people living overseas pay for themselves. From now on Reform won’t need to bother getting out of bed for anything less than eight figures.Fair to say that if it had been Labour or the Tories trousering £72m from Christopher Harborne and Ben Delo then Reform would be on full outrage rampage. How the political system was rigged against it and how the two main parties are hotwired cash machines. In bed with the super-rich. But since the money is heading towards its own bank account, everyone in the party is totally chilled. This is just the way life ought to be. Who wouldn’t want a country where two billionaires can attempt to buy the democratic process? Continue reading...