Scandal

Senate pick announced his withdrawal in angry video accusing party and media of acting as ‘judge, jury and executioner’Sign up for the Breaking News US emailHello and welcome to the US politics live blog.The Maine Democratic party has voted to hold a convention after its Senate pick Graham Platner withdrew from the race following accusations of sexual assault.Donald Trump said on Wednesday he would ask the US supreme court to reconsider its ruling that the 14th amendment to the US constitution guarantees birthright citizenship in light of what he described as shocking new evidence: a hospital in Texas advertising its services to expectant mothers in Mexico on a pair of billboards. “Signs and Billboards are being put up all over our Southern Border, and Mexico, advertising BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP, with ‘Deliveries starting at $4000’, the president wrote on his social media platform, in what appeared to be a wild exaggeration of a Fox News report on just two billboards.Donald Trump flew from Turkey to England onboard the older Air Force One on Wednesday, rather than the new, Qatari-gifted aircraft he used to travel to the Nato summit in Ankara, an unexpected change in plans that prompted questions about security fears. Trump later boarded the new plane at Mildenhall air force base in the United Kingdom for the trip back to Washington.Andrew Giuliani, head of the White House’s World Cup taskforce, has defended Donald Trump’s lobbying of Fifa to lift the suspension of US player Folarin Balogun for Monday’s game against Belgium. The US president claimed that Brazilian referee Raphael Claus, who showed Balogun a red card in the match against Bosnia and Herzegovina, was “a little bit suspect, if you check his past”.US stock markets fell on Wednesday as the US continued strikes on Iran and the Federal Reserve flagged concerns that would warrant higher interest rates. Donald Trump’s declaration at the Nato summit in Ankara that the Iran-US ceasefire is over sent oil prices sharply higher on Wednesday. Brent crude, the global benchmark, jumped more than 5% to crest $80 a barrel.A Manhattan federal court judge on Wednesday ordered the release of the more than $5m Donald Trump owes E Jean Carroll following her successful 2023 sexual abuse and defamation trial against him. Less than an hour after the judge issued his order, Trump filed paperwork indicating he was appealing the decision. Continue reading...

FCA clashes with consumer group pushing for bigger compensation, alleging lack of transparency and conflict of interest The City regulator is trying to get the only consumer group arguing for higher motor finance scandal payouts thrown out of court, alleging that its co-founders have not been transparent about their funding and potential conflicts of interest.The accusations, laid out in legal filings on Wednesday, are the latest controversy in the long-running saga surrounding mis-sold car loans, with fears of large payouts having resulted in heavy lobbying by banks and a controversial intervention by the chancellor, Rachel Reeves. Continue reading...

Jake Richards announces measures to prevent abuse like that at Medomsley detention centre in County DurhamOne of the UK’s most horrific and shocking child custody scandals was collectively ignored for decades because the victims were working-class boys from the north of England, a government minister has said.The sentencing and youth justice minister, Jake Richards, has announced he is implementing a number of recommendations to prevent abuse such as that which took place between 1961 and 1987 at Medomsley detention centre in County Durham from ever happening again. Continue reading...

After decades of campaigning by those affected, PM says state ‘did not do enough to protect’ mothers and childrenKeir Starmer has formally apologised for the British state’s role in historic forced adoptions after decades of campaigning by mothers and children affected.The government said the “state did not do enough to protect mothers, children and families”, that it “failed to prevent harm from continuing” and that it bore responsibility for funding and legitimising the system that allowed the adoptions to take place. Continue reading...

Federal government releases options paper to improve regulation of accounting, auditing and consulting firms. Follow today’s news liveGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastIndependent Nicolette Boele backs childcare reformsThe independent member for Bradfield, Nicolette Boele, has backed calls for a national early childhood education and care commission to manage supply and improve safety regulation in the sector.If you’re in that position, hearing that the government is waiting for Deloitte to finish a report before they can increase the childcare subsidy, doesn’t hold up. Families can’t budget around a maybe. I’ve written to the minister, and I want the government to commit to a national commission with a firm timeline – not keep it on the “considering” pile. Continue reading...

• Germany and the Netherlands have been eliminated from the World Cup following shock Round of 32 losses to Paraguay and Morocco. • Germany, led by Julian Nagelsmann, entered their match as heavy favorites after topping Group E but were defeated by Paraguay, who had barely qualified as a third-place team. • Brazil and Paraguay have now joined Canada in the Round of 16, while Japan and Germany are officially out of the competition.

Former Westminster correspondent earned a reputation for uncovering political wrongdoing in the 1990sThe acclaimed journalist David Hencke, whose career at the Guardian spanned more than three decades, has died from liver cancer aged 79.Hencke, the Guardian’s former Westminster correspondent, was instrumental in exposing the “cash for questions” scandal that forced the resignations of two Conservative ministers, as well as the scoop that led to Peter Mandelson’s first resignation from government. Continue reading...

Vice-president declares admiration for 37th president and claims Nixon and Trump targeted by ‘deep state’ forcesJD Vance does not think the era-defining Watergate scandal would have lasted more than a single news cycle in today’s fragmented, hyper-partisan political environment – and certainly would not have led to a president’s downfall.Speaking at the Richard Nixon presidential library in Yorba Linda, California, on Thursday to promote his new book, Communion, Vance discussed his spiritual journey from atheist to Catholic convert before declaring his admiration for 37th president. Continue reading...

Review of 2,500 cases between 2012 and 2015 finds ‘systemic’ and ‘deep-rooted’ failures, a bullying culture and racismMore than 500 mothers and babies died or were harmed at ‘toxic’ Nottingham NHS trust, report finds‘Truly horrific’: the stories of five people affectedA review into the NHS’s biggest ever maternity care scandal has been published. Led by Donna Ockenden, an independent senior midwife, the review examined 2,500 cases involving mothers and babies dying or being seriously injured, or babies being stillborn, while under the care of Nottingham university hospitals NHS trust between 2012 and 2015. Below is a summary of the findings from the report. Continue reading...

Insider indicates Ockenden inquiry has uncovered appalling behaviour including racism toward mothersThe report of the inquiry into the biggest maternity scandal in NHS history will outline “horrendous” failings in the care provided to women in Nottingham, the Guardian can reveal.A catalogue of appalling behaviour over many years by staff at the city’s two hospitals – Queen’s Medical Centre and Nottingham City hospital – included racism towards mothers, it will say. Continue reading...

Platner, whose campaign was hit by series of negative headlines, to face Susan Collins in key midterm contest Graham Platner, a Marine veteran, oyster farmer and progressive activist, has scaled a mountain of personal controversies to win the Democratic nomination for the US Senate in Maine.Victory on Tuesday caps a remarkable rise for a candidate who has never held elected office and whose campaign was shadowed by negative headlines that might have ended a more conventional political career. Continue reading...

Oysterman and marine veteran favored to win Democratic primary amid a string of controversiesVoters are headed to the polls on Tuesday for primary elections that include a crucial Senate race involving the scandal-haunted Graham Platner.In Maine, Platner is favored to win the Democratic primary after his main opponent, former governor Janet Mills suspended her campaign. Incumbent senator Susan Collins remains safely at the top of the Republican ticket – just slightly behind newcomer Platner’s lead in polling. Continue reading...

The moderate Republican, an advocate of abortion rights, resigned in 1995 amid accusations of sexual harassmentFormer US senator Bob Packwood, a moderate Oregon Republican whose reputation as a champion of abortion and women’s rights was spoiled at the end of his career by allegations of sexual harassment, has died. He was 93.Packwood’s death on Saturday was announced in an obituary sent to media outlets by his family. Continue reading...

Interim vice-chancellor tells senate estimates of ‘very significant’ effect on donor pipeline and enrolmentsFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastA series of high profile scandals and governance failures has cost the Australian National University $100m in reputational damage, the interim vice-chancellor, Rebekah Brown, has told a parliamentary committee.Fronting senate estimates on Friday – a day after a scathing audit report found the ANU approved a controversial $250m cost-cutting program without clear evidence – Brown acknowledged it had been a challenging time for the university. Continue reading...

Yates says we have let ourselves down’ when dealing with allegations of client information being misusedFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastKPMG’s Australian chief Andrew Yates will step down immediately, after taking responsibility for the consultancy firm’s failure to properly respond to whistleblower allegations around the misuse of client information.The firm’s chief executive made the announcement on Friday morning, saying in a statement that “I have been committed to a speak-up culture in our firm”. Continue reading...

• Two municipalities in Brussels are currently embroiled in serious governance scandals, sparking concerns over local political accountability. • The cases have emerged this week, highlighting systemic failures in the administration of Belgium's capital region. • These developments matter as they raise critical questions regarding the transparency and integrity of municipal leadership.

A report found that Brian O’Hara probably interfered with investigation in what mayor called a ‘breach of trust’The Minneapolis police chief, Brian O’Hara, resigned on Tuesday after a report found that he probably interfered with an investigation into alleged sexual misconduct.O’Hara stepped down after a meeting with the Minnesota city’s mayor, Jacob Frey, who earlier this month nominated him to serve a second term after his appointment in 2022 to steady a police department still in turmoil after the murder of George Floyd two years earlier. Continue reading...

Race had wide implications for Trump’s strength heading into midterms, where Paxton will face Democratic candidate James TalaricoKen Paxton, the Donald Trump-backed Texas attorney general, triumphed over incumbent John Cornyn in the Republican primary runoff for senator. His victory signals that even a scandal-plagued candidate can win over the deep red state with the support of the president.The race had wide implications for Trump’s strength heading into November’s midterm elections, where Paxtonwill now face James Talarico, a Democratic pastor and state legislator whose message of peace and populism has attracted much attention. If he wins, Talarico would become the first Democrat in more than 30 years to win statewide office in Texas. Continue reading...

Police officer in charge says budget could reach £19.3m and nearly 100 more investigators are neededThe police criminal inquiry into the Post Office Horizon IT scandal faces a five-year delay unless it is handed millions in extra funding and nearly 100 more staff, according to the chief officer in charge.The Metropolitan police commander Stephen Clayman said he needed to nearly double the number of investigators to 210 to meet a deadline of late next year or early 2028 for submitting files to prosecutors. Continue reading...

Lack of Pfas regulations raised in parliament after Guardian revealed former Miteni plant bought by Indian companyProtests over the production of cancer-linked Pfas chemicals have spread across India, after an investigation revealed that an Italian factory shut down due to an environmental scandal was bought by an Indian company and partly rebuilt.At the end of last year, the Guardian revealed that the former Miteni plant in Vicenza had been acquired by the Indian company Laxmi Organic Industries. The factory produced Pfas and was shut down in 2018 after being linked to one of Italy’s worst environmental contamination scandals. Continue reading...

Paris police looking into more than 100 allegations of mistreatment by ‘monitors’ after parents’ groups said they had fought for years to be taken seriouslyFrance is facing a child abuse scandal as ‘monitors’ at dozens of state nursery and primary schools are investigated for violence, sexual assault and rape.Paris police are examining more than 100 allegations of mistreatment, physical violence and rape of children as young as three by school monitors during lunch breaks, nap times and after-school activities, prosecutors have confirmed. Continue reading...

• Fenerbahce club officials have condemned the EuroLeague following "unacceptable organization scandals" during the Final Four event in Athens. • Thousands of fans reportedly faced significant logistical issues and organizational failures before the game even began, overshadowing the team's defeat. • The situation highlights critical failures in event management and fan safety during one of the most prestigious stages of European basketball.

Ohio State is grappling with sexual abuse allegations and questions over donor influence as financial pressures mount across higher educationWhen Rocky Ratliff transferred to Ohio State University in Columbus to study political science and wrestle for the college in the mid-1990s, he soon found himself being sexually abused by a prominent member of the university athletic department’s medical staff.At the time, Dr Richard Strauss, who is believed to have abused hundreds of student athletes over a period of decades at Ohio State, and who killed himself in 2005, would subject young men to intense abuse, including rape. Continue reading...

The bank’s interim chief executive says ‘this issue should never have happened’, but warns it may take time to process claimsNational Savings and Investments bank will start to contact thousands of families affected by a missing savings scandal next week, as it confirmed how much they are owed.In March, the chief executive of the state-backed bank was forced out after it emerged there had been long-running problems with the tracing of accounts belonging to customers who had died. Continue reading...

The foreign affairs select committee meets this week to discuss next steps and there are concerns any conclusions reached at this stage may be prematureThe parliamentary inquiry into Peter Mandelson’s appointment as US ambassador has heard more than 77,000 words of evidence from five of the most senior officials and advisers in government. Yet, as MPs on the foreign affairs select committee meet this week to discuss next steps, there are concerns that key questions remain unanswered.The committee’s investigation has been hampered by a lack of documentary evidence, amid concerns that the government is not adhering to the terms of a parliamentary motion that ordered the release of “all papers” relating to the appointment. Continue reading...

Redress for force-fitting devices in homes of vulnerable includes £20m penalty and £70m of debt write-offsThousands of British Gas customers who had prepayment meters force-fitted in their homes will receive up to £112m in compensation and debt write-offs on their energy bills.Great Britain’s energy regulator found that British Gas forced prepayment meters on homes that were not keeping up with their bills at the height of the Russian gas crisis, in one of the most complex Ofgem investigations in its history. Continue reading...

CCTV footage circulating on social media showed children at the Little Aresha daycare centre in Yogyakarta, most under two, lying on the floor wearing only diapers with their hands and feet bound with rags.

Mandelson’s replacement made comments in February, with diplomat also saying Israel has special relationship with USThe UK’s new ambassador to the US has described Keir Starmer as having been “on the ropes” over the Peter Mandelson scandal and said it is Israel rather than Britain that has a “special relationship” with the White House.Christian Turner, who took office in February to replace Mandelson as the UK’s most senior diplomat in Washington, made the remarks privately to a group of students visiting the US in the same month he was appointed. Continue reading...