Pushes

Japanese leader Sanae Takaichi has called for discussions to revise the constitution, saying it should ‘reflect the demands of the times’Japan’s prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, has called for “advanced discussions” on revising the pacifist constitution, as large demonstrations were held nationwide to oppose any changes to the country’s supreme law.Speaking during an official visit to Vietnam, Takaichi said the constitution, which was written by US occupation forces after the second world war, “should periodically be updated to reflect the demands of the times”. Continue reading...

• A new POLITICO‑Citrin Center‑Possibility Lab survey released Friday shows that strong majorities of both Republicans and Democrats favor an independent commission to draw U.S. House district lines, weakening arguments against ending partisan gerrymandering. • The Trump administration is weighing proposals to codify independent redistricting panels by tying federal funds to states that adopt such commissions, a strategy that could reshape battleground districts in 2026 and beyond. • Civil‑rights groups and voting advocates cheered the poll findings, arguing that independent commissions would reduce partisan manipulation of maps that currently skew toward both parties.

• Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is urging the state House to approve a revived AI Bill of Rights before a special session, following Senate passage of sweeping AI restrictions. • The legislation would remove from office local officials violating the rules and prohibit companion chatbots from interacting with minors without parental consent. • This move addresses rising concerns over AI safety, governance, and potential misuse in public and private sectors amid generative AI's rapid adoption.

Justice department has already identified 384 foreign-born people whose US citizenship it wants to revokeThe Trump administration is reportedly pushing the justice department to pursue hundreds of denaturalization cases, in which Americans born outside of the US are stripped of their citizenship.The justice department has already identified 384 foreign-born US citizens, whose citizenship it wants to revoke and will begin the process in the coming weeks, according to the New York Times. Continue reading...

Farmers have been calling for higher prices for weeks, amid soaring diesel and fertiliser costs and limited supplyGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastColes has increased home-brand milk prices by up to 20c a litre, with Woolworths set to follow as war in the Middle East starts to hit Australian grocery costs.The price rise will support the company’s bottom line against pressure from higher fuel and operating costs, while some of the revenue will be temporarily passed on to dairy farmers. Continue reading...

Scheme cutting bills by up to 25% expanded to cover 10,000 firms, but they will not be paid until next yearRachel Reeves has announced an expansion of support for the most energy-intensive UK businesses, as they face soaring bills as a result of the Middle East conflict.The chancellor said the long-promised British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme (BICS) would be expanded to cover 10,000 companies, up from the 7,000 originally announced. Continue reading...

Attempt by independent senator set to test Democratic support for longtime US ally amid Trump’s war on IranAn attempt set for Wednesday by senator Bernie Sanders to block sales to Israel of bombs and bulldozers will serve as the latest litmus test of support for the longtime US ally among Democrats.Sanders, an independent who caucuses with Senate Democrats, plans to call up for a vote a resolution halting a $151.8m sale of 12,000 1,000lb bombs to Israel’s military, as well as a second resolution that would prevent the sale of $295m in bulldozers. Continue reading...