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California governor and wife, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, release 2022-2024 filings amid Trump investigationGavin Newsom and his wife made from $1.7m to $2m annually from 2022 through 2024, and paid about half a million a year in federal and state taxes, according to tax returns released by his office.The California Democratic governor’s office released more than 700 pages of tax filings spanning four years for reporters to review, offering a window into Newsom’s finances as he prepares to leave office and considers a 2028 presidential bid. Newsom’s office did not release returns for 2025, because the couple filed for an extension and will complete those returns in October. Continue reading...

• Indonesia is experiencing a revival of authoritarian and strongman politics, driven by the rise of personalistic political parties that prioritize individual leaders over institutionalized competition. • This shift undermines the country's democratic framework by displacing structured electoral processes in favor of loyalty to powerful political figures. • The trend is significant because it suggests that democratic backsliding is not merely the result of individual presidential agendas, but a systemic evolution of the party system.

Robert Assaf separately tells anti-corruption inquiry money funnelled through lobbying firm to create ‘maximum benefit from a tax perspective’Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastA group of young conservative Liberal power brokers accused of soliciting illegal donations used some of the funds to pay for a bucks night, one of its members has told a corruption inquiry.The Independent Commission Against Corruption (Icac) on Friday heard again from Robert Assaf, who this week was the first witness from the conservative right Liberal factional group the Reformers to give evidence. Continue reading...

• The European Union is implementing new salary transparency rules to combat a gender pay gap where women earn an average of 11.1% less per hour than men. • Several major economies, including Germany, France, Spain, Austria, and the Netherlands, have missed the deadline to put implementing legislation into force. • Brussels has signaled that infringement proceedings may follow for countries that fail to comply with the transparency mandates.

Hackers access Australian customers’ names, addresses, dates of birth, phone numbers and some bank account details, company saysOrigin Energy customers’ addresses, phone numbers and partial bank account data have been accessed in a hack, the company has confirmed.The company has 4.8m customer accounts in Australia, providing electricity, natural gas, LPG, and internet services to homes and businesses. Continue reading...

Royal commission on antisemitism and social cohesion hears from professor whose office was occupied by protesters Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastA Jewish professor has told the royal commission into antisemitism the University of Melbourne needs to show it doesn’t “tolerate misbehaviour” after the expulsion of two pro-Palestine student activists who occupied his office was overturned.Steven Prawer, a professor of physics, said on Tuesday that he had not known at the time if it was a “terrorist attack”. Continue reading...

• MHProNews is drafting a report titled “American Freedom and Housing at 250” to coincide with the United States' 250th anniversary. • The analysis utilizes research from R. J. Rummel on democide and Thomas Sowell’s critiques of big government to argue that the modern regulatory state has stifled prosperity. • A primary focus is the "man-made" U.S. housing crisis, which the publication attributes to restrictive zoning laws and financing barriers that prevent affordable homeownership.

• HTF Market Intelligence has released a comprehensive study on the Asia Pacific Personal Luxury Goods Market, forecasting trends from 2025 to 2032. • The report highlights a shift toward data-driven strategies, noting that industry giants like LVMH and Kering SA can no longer rely solely on historical sales data to maintain competitiveness. • This evolution matters as the luxury sector becomes increasingly competitive, requiring brands to leverage real-time insights to capture the booming Asia Pacific consumer base.

• India has emerged as the leader in AI adoption within the Asia Pacific region, according to the 16th annual Adobe AI and Digital Trends Report published on June 25. • A significant 60% of Indian consumers expressed a desire to build their own personal AI agents to manage complex tasks. • This trend highlights a shift toward "agentic AI," where systems move beyond simple responses to autonomously executing sophisticated workflows.

Buckingham Palace says move is bid to increase ‘clarity and accessibility’ relating to monarchy’s financesKing Charles will become the first head of state to reveal their personal tax bill in what the palace says is a bid to enhance transparency around royal finances.Charles, 77, will publish his financial details as his royal household seeks to increase “clarity and accessibility” around the monarchy’s finances by producing a new report on the subject. Continue reading...

The process to renew Daca immigration status used to take a few weeks – now it drags on for monthsIt’s been six months since Claudia first applied to renew her US immigration status – a process that, for the last 14 years, would only take a few weeks.But now, the prolonged delay has put her life on hold. Claudia, who moved to the US when she was four, has maintained legal status as a “Dreamer” with the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (Daca) program, which was created in 2012 to protect undocumented immigrants who came to the US as children from deportation. Continue reading...

Ben Black’s lawyers deny relationship with disgraced financier, but DoJ records reveal years of interactionsSign up for the Breaking News US newsletter emailBen Black, the head of a little-known government investment agency funded by billions of dollars from US taxpayers, had personal and business ties to Jeffrey Epstein, according to emails and business filings released by the Department of Justice.His father, Leon Black, had once been the disgraced financier’s highest paying client – calling on the convicted sex offender for tax advice and to orchestrate payments to women, according to the New York Times and Bloomberg. Continue reading...

Senate committee also hears Murray Watt needed personal security after sending the union into administrationGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe federal government has paid millions of dollars in personal protection for the administrators of the CFMEU, and had to organise security for minister Murray Watt after he introduced the legislation that placed the union into administration, it has been revealed.Under questioning from Liberal senator Jane Hume in the Senate committee on education and employment legislation, it was revealed that the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR) has paid millions of dollars to keep the administrators safe. Continue reading...

• French philosopher, sociologist, and former Resistance fighter Edgar Morin has passed away at the age of 105, having lived from 1921 to 2026. • A pioneer of "complex thought," Morin's intellectual work reshaped modern approaches to education, knowledge, and human understanding across global platforms. • His legacy is highlighted through his significant contributions to the intellectual circles of Paris and his extensive global work with UNESCO.

Phone company launched by Donald Trump’s family says names and contact details appear to be affected, but not credit card or banking informationA phone company launched by Donald Trump’s family business is investigating a potential security flaw on its website that appears to have exposed the personal details of an estimated 27,000 people who sought to buy a gold-coloured smartphone.Trump Mobile said in a statement that it was investigating the issue – “with the assistance of independent cybersecurity professionals” – in which the full names, addresses and phone numbers of people who filled out preorder forms appeared to be exposed. Continue reading...

Carmen Mercedes Lineberger accused of hiding files related to Trump documents investigation as bundt cake recipeA former Department of Justice prosecutor is facing felony charges after emailing herself a sealed Biden-era investigative report concerning Donald Trump and attempting to hide the documents as cake recipes, federal authorities said on Wednesday.Carmen Mercedes Lineberger, who worked as a managing assistant US attorney in Florida, is facing two counts of theft of government money or property in addition to charges related to her alleged alteration of the documents, according to the indictment. Continue reading...

• Google has unveiled Gemini Intelligence, a new AI-powered experience designed to make Android devices smarter, more proactive, and deeply personalized for users. • The new capability integrates Google's advanced AI models directly into Android devices, enabling enhanced contextual awareness and predictive functionality across the operating system. • This launch represents Google's continued effort to differentiate Android through AI integration and compete with other major tech platforms offering AI-enhanced mobile experiences.

• Chandranath Rath, personal assistant to West Bengal BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, was assassinated in Madhyamgram, North 24 Parganas, hit by three of four bullets while in a moving car. • The killing occurred two days after BJP's historic assembly election win over TMC on May 6, 2026, heightening post-poll tensions. • TMC condemned the murder on Thursday, demanding a CBI probe, while Chandra's mother broke down publicly, calling for life imprisonment for the killers.

• Bollywood actor Arjun Kapoor secured an ex parte ad interim injunction from the Delhi High Court on April 29 against social media accounts and websites misusing his name, image, and identity. • Justice Tushar Rao Gedela restrained defendants from unauthorized commercial use, including sales of T-shirts, posters, and event promotions exploiting Kapoor's personality rights. • The court observed multiple instances of commercial gain without permission, providing interim protection to the actor amid rising online misuse concerns.

In theory, Musk and Altman’s court fight could pose key questions about AI safety – in reality, it’s motivated by money and personal grievanceSign up for the TechScape newsletter: our free technology emailHello, and welcome to TechScape. I’m your host, Blake Montgomery, US tech editor at the Guardian, writing to you from beneath a cherry blossom tree in Prospect Park in New York City. Spring has arrived!Facing AI and a tough job market, gen Z turns to entrepreneurship: ‘I have to prove myself’ Continue reading...

Tom Kean, who has not voted since 5 March and whose seat is top Democratic target, due back ‘very soon’, speaker saysA vulnerable Republican congressman who has not voted in weeks “is attending to a personal health matter,” the speaker of the House, Mike Johnson, said on Friday as he struggles to maintain his historically small majority in Congress’s lower chamber.Tom Kean Jr’s New Jersey district is a top pickup target for Democrats in the November midterms, but the congressman has not cast a vote in the House since 5 March. Continue reading...

Lawsuit follows exchange on X in which airline suggested customer should clear their cache or book with incognito windowSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxJetBlue has been sued in a proposed class action claiming it uses customers’ personal data to set ticket prices, after its response to a social media post raised concern that the carrier employed “surveillance pricing” to make flying more expensive.According to a complaint filed late Wednesday in Brooklyn federal court, JetBlue conceals its use of “trackers” to set prices dynamically, and shares data with third parties whose programs help it decide when to raise fares. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Australian Recreation Union says it plans to support candidates and parties that oppose gun control laws brought in after terror attackGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastA gun users’ group targeting marginal Labor seats in next year’s New South Wales election plans to campaign for candidates who oppose the government’s firearm laws enacted after the Bondi terror attack.In an email sent to the electorate offices of 15 Labor backbenchers last week, the Australian Recreation Union (ARU) said it had recruited campaign managers across 17 “vulnerable” electorates, including Kogarah, the seat of the premier, Chris Minns, and Swansea, held by the police minister, Yasmin Catley. Continue reading...

Defense secretary signs memo letting members request permission to carry firearms on military installationsDefense secretary Pete Hegseth signed a memo on Thursday that would allow military service members to request permission to carry their personal firearms on military installations such as bases, naval yards and recruitment centers, claiming the new policy will allow soldiers and other military personnel to defend themselves in case of an attack.While the full text of the memo has yet to be made public, it appears to loosen the current policy that allows for personnel to get permission to have their weapons on base on a case-by-case basis, and requires that they are registered with the base’s authorities and stored in a secure device. Continue reading...

BBC announces departure of Radio 2 star who took over breakfast show from Zoe Ball in 2025Radio 2 star Scott Mills has been sacked by the BBC following allegations about his personal conduct, the BBC has said.A statement from the corporation to BBC News said: “While we do not comment on matters relating to individuals we can confirm Scott Mills is no longer contracted and has left the BBC.” Continue reading...

The Handala Hack Team published more than 300 emails from Kash Patel’s inbox between 2010 and 2019Sign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxIran-linked hackers have broken into the personal email inbox of Kash Patel, FBI’s director, publishing photographs of him and other documents on the internet, the hackers and the bureau said on Friday.On their website, the hacker group Handala Hack Team said Patel “will now find his name among the list of successfully hacked victims”. The hackers published a series of personal photographs of Patel sniffing and smoking cigars, riding in an antique convertible and making a face while taking a picture of himself in the mirror with a large bottle of rum. Continue reading...

Exchanges about US ambassador appointment may be lost after McSweeney’s phone was stolenUK politics live – latest updatesPeter Mandelson will be asked to supply messages from his personal phone as part of the investigation into his appointment as Keir Starmer’s ambassador to the US.In February, MPs forced the government to commit to publishing tens of thousands of documents after a controversy erupted over the prime minister’s awareness of the former peer’s links to the convicted child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein before he was given the prestigious posting. Continue reading...

People’s payments, account details and national insurance numbers visible to other users, says Treasury committeeLloyds Banking Group exposed the personal data of nearly 500,000 customers in an IT glitch that left people’s payments, account details and national insurance numbers visible to other users, a committee of MPs has revealed.A letter from Lloyds, published by MPs on the Treasury select committee on Friday, blamed the glitch on a software defect introduced during an IT update to its Lloyds, Halifax and Bank of Scotland mobile banking apps overnight into 12 March. Continue reading...