Campaign

Gerry ‘the monk’ Hutch has won fans in north Dublin byelection campaign with anti-immigrant rhetoricElaine Roe, 61, a cafe worker, has no doubt what is the most important issue in this week’s byelection for Dublin’s north inner city. “The government is wrecking our country, they’re bringing in rapists and murderers and kidnappers. It’s a shame. I might vote Hutch, he seems a normal person.’That would be Gerry “the monk” Hutch, a prominent gangland figure who is running as an independent in an election that is far from normal. The 63-year-old – who was jailed for robbery convictions in his youth – is a celebrity candidate in a contest for a parliamentary seat that has been dominated by xenophobia and immigration. Continue reading...

Independent senator warns budget reform could drive tech investment offshore, as PM thanks startups for ‘very flattering’ imagesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAnthony Albanese has laughed off an AI-generated meme campaign against capital gains tax changes from startup founders, thanking them for “very flattering” doctored photos of him working in their businesses.But independent politicians representing some of Australia’s startup hotspots have raised alarm over the proposed increase to capital gains tax, warning the tax changes could see innovative companies and tech firms move overseas to chase higher rewards. Continue reading...

The ‘Tank Day’ event has been described as ‘malicious mockery’ of a deadly crackdown on pro-democracy protestersThe chief executive of Starbucks in South Korea has been fired after the company ran a promotional event using slogans that evoked a massacre of pro-democracy protesters during the country’s dictatorship era, sparking outrage and boycott calls.The coffee chain launched a “Tank Day” campaign on 18 May for its “Tank” tumbler series. The date coincides with one of the most politically sensitive days in South Korea’s calendar, when citizens commemorate the 1980 democratisation movement in Gwangju, 167 miles (270km) south-west of Seoul. Continue reading...

Two campaign groups claim that change to how NHS treatments are approved amounts to ‘unlawful power grab’Campaigners against the UK’s controversial drug pricing deal with Donald Trump are threatening the government with legal action unless it scraps a key element of the plan.They claim that a change to how drug treatments are approved for use by the NHS, which could lead to it paying even higher prices for them, amounts to an “unlawful power grab”. Continue reading...

• South Korea coach Hong Myung-bo named a 26-man squad on Saturday, with Son Heung-min set for his fourth World Cup appearance as the team’s leading star. • ESPN reported that the veteran forward will again anchor South Korea’s attack, underlining his central role in the national side’s tournament plans. • The squad announcement matters because South Korea are expected to rely heavily on experienced players as they prepare for the global showpiece.

Landmark finding against supermarket giant after competition watchdog argued discounts did not represent genuine savingsColes misled Australian shoppers with fake discounts on everyday grocery products, the federal court has ruled in a landmark decision for the supermarket industry.Justice Michael O’Bryan handed down his judgment on Thursday, delivering a significant blow to Australia’s second largest supermarket chain, which had argued the discounts represented genuine savings during a period of high inflation. Continue reading...

PM accused of dragging heels on forcing tech firms to block transmission of nude photos on children’s phonesInternet safety and children’s rights campaigners say they have been frustrated for months by Keir Starmer’s lack of leadership on blocking child abuse images on children’s phones, speaking out after Jess Phillips resigned from the government saying she was tired of seeing “opportunities for progress stalled and delayed”.The influential Labour politician was one of four ministers who quit on Tuesday and joined more than 80 MPs to have called for the prime minister to go. Continue reading...