Labor urged to target gas exporters and bring in east coast reserve ‘right now’ as it weighs scheme’s design 04. December 2025 (15:00) Australian Workers’ Union calls for ‘simple, workable’ model that applies to existing projects, not just future onesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastBlue-collar workers and manufacturers want the Albanese government to stare down the gas giants as it designs a new gas reservation scheme, warning the industry’s preferred approach would fail to quickly contain prices.The federal government is expected to unveil plans for an east coast gas reserve as soon as next week after a six-month review of the gas market. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
‘Day by day I lose weight’: asylum seekers on Nauru get $115 a week, but a bag of grapes costs $20 04. December 2025 (15:00) Prohibited from working, people sent to the island by Australia say they are struggling to survive because food is so expensiveGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAsylum seekers sent to Nauru by Australia say they are going hungry on the island, prohibited from working to support themselves and given insufficient money to buy enough food.Others say they fear the Nauru government will deport them to their home countries, from where they say they have fled persecution and violence. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
HyperVerse promoter ‘Bitcoin Rodney’ accuses Australian Sam Lee in US court of duping him with ‘elaborate deception’ 04. December 2025 (15:00) Rodney Burton says in Maryland district court memorandum he acted in good faith when promoting scheme that allegedly defrauded investors of US$1.89bn, but Lee calls claims ‘baseless’A key promoter of an alleged global $3bn Ponzi scheme claims in newly filed US court documents he was trapped by an “elaborate” fraud orchestrated by Australian Sam Lee, and should be released from custody.Rodney Burton – known as Bitcoin Rodney – was charged in the US in early 2024 for his alleged part in the HyperVerse scheme, which swept the globe from 2020 and allegedly defrauded investors of US$1.89bn (A$2.9bn at current rates). Continue reading...(The Guardian)
New York Times sues Pentagon over new reporting restrictions – US politics live 04. December 2025 (14:58) NYT accuses Pentagon of infringing on the constitutional rights of its journalistsMy colleague, Jakub Krupa is following the latest developments out of Europe in our dedicated live blog.Earlier, he reported that the French president, Emmanuel Macron, has warned European leaders that “there is a chance that the US will betray Ukraine on territory without clarity on security guarantees”, the German magazine Der Spiegel reported, quoting a leaked note from a recent call between the European leaders. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Arrest reportedly made in attempted pipe bomb attack in lead-up to January 6 US Capitol riot 04. December 2025 (14:56) Bombs were placed near both Republican and Democratic party HQs in Washington DC the night before US Capitol attackUS authorities have made an arrest in connection with pipe bombs that were planted outside the headquarters of both the Democratic and Republican parties in Washington DC on the eve of 6 January 2021, according to reports on Thursday morning.Explosive devices were placed at night and then, on the afternoon of January 6, the US Capitol attack occurred, when a mob of Donald Trump’s supporters stormed Congress in an effort to prevent the certification of Joe Biden’s win in the 2020 presidential election. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Rachel Reeves will not be investigated over pre-budget briefing, FCA says 04. December 2025 (14:54) Regulator leaves door open for follow-up as it rejects calls for formal inquiry into claims against Treasury officialsTreasury launches inquiry into budget leaks with Reeves’s supportBusiness live – latest updatesThe UK’s financial regulator has decided not to immediately investigate Rachel Reeves and the Treasury over pre-budget briefings but left the door open for further examination of what the Conservatives claimed amounted to market manipulation.In a letter addressed to the chair of the Treasury committee, Meg Hillier, the the chief executive of the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) said the regulator had turned down requests by politicians including the shadow chancellor, Mel Stride, to open an inquiry into briefings made before last week’s announcement by the chancellor. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
UK construction sector suffers sharpest slowdown since first Covid lockdown 04. December 2025 (14:49) Separate data finds jobs were cut at fastest rate in four years but experts suggest figures were skewed by budget speculation Business live – latest updatesThe UK’s construction sector last month suffered its sharpest slowdown in activity since the first Covid lockdown as building projects were scaled back and jobs cut amid budget uncertainty, according to a closely watched survey.In a blow to Labour’s aims to boost infrastructure projects and get 1.5m homes built by 2030, the poll of UK construction firms showed output in November shrinking at the fastest pace since May 2020, when all building stalled as the pandemic shut down sites. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Crypto investor gives £9m to Reform UK as donations exceed those to Tories 04. December 2025 (14:44) Christopher Harborne’s record gift revealed in Electoral Commission figures prompts renewed calls for cap on political donationsUK politics live – latest updatesNigel Farage’s Reform UK party has received a £9m donation from Christopher Harborne, a leading cryptocurrency investor, as well as £50,000 from the wife of the owner of the Daily Mail.Harborne, who also has interests in defence and aviation fuel, gave the record donation to Reform over the summer in a boost to the party’s finances before its autumn conference. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Student describes ‘horror show’ ICE deportation to Honduras at Thanksgiving 04. December 2025 (14:33) Any Lucia López Belloza, 19, was detained at Boston airport while on the way to see family in Austin for a surprise tripAny Lucia López Belloza had not seen her parents and two little sisters since starting her first semester at Babson College, near Boston in August. A family friend gave her plane tickets so she could fly home to Austin and surprise them for Thanksgiving.The 19-year-old business student was already at the boarding gate at Boston airport when she was told there was an “error” with her boarding pass; when she reached customer service, she was handcuffed and arrested by what she believed were two Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Children in England most active since 2017 – but majority still fall short of targets 04. December 2025 (14:28) Exercise levels have increased but less than half do more than 60 minutes of activity per day, survey showsChildren in England are the most active they have been since 2017, according to research that warns that less than half are meeting government activity level targets.In 2024-25, 3.6 million children took part in an average of more than 60 minutes of sport and physical activity per day across the week, according to Sport England’s annual active lives survey. This represents 49.1% of five- to 16-year-olds in England – a 1.3% increase on the previous year, and a 5.8% increase on 2017, when the survey began. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
