Coal is back in AustralianSuper’s portfolio. What happened to that net zero pledge? pred 17 urami in 41 minutami In 2020 Australia’s biggest super fund dumped its Whitehaven shares. Fast forward to 2026 and it is now the coalminer’s single biggest investorGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAlmost six years ago, the country’s biggest superannuation fund announced a major policy update: AustralianSuper’s investment portfolio would be subject to a net zero carbon emissions target in line with the Paris agreement.To make the point, the fund dumped its holdings in the large thermal and metallurgical coalminer Whitehaven Coal. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Fears Queenslanders could be forced to pay for mine cleanup as LNP reviews environmental ‘red tape’ pred 17 urami in 41 minutami Mining minister Dale Last says the state has an ‘enormous opportunity’ to become a global leader in critical mineralsFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastQueenslanders are being warned they could be left to pay for the clean up of abandoned mines if rehabilitation laws are weakened, after the state government announced a bid to cut environmental “red tape” for resources companies.The state’s treasurer, David Janetzki, and the mining minister, Dale Last, this week announced a review of a scheme that requires resources companies to provide surety to cover remediation and rehabilitation costs when mines close. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Iran seeks to tighten control over strait of Hormuz alongside Khamenei funeral pred 17 urami in 52 minutami IRGC warnings force ships to turn back as Tehran uses passages from Qur’an to send messages to Gulf delegationsThe diplomatic and military contest for control of the strait of Hormuz has intensified alongside the dramatic scenes of mourning for the death of Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei, with some claiming Khamenei’s legacy ultimately depends on Tehran’s grip on the waterway, and so the global economy.Over the past 48 hours, as crowds have swirled in Tehran, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps appeared to have started to plug a gaping and growing gap in their monopoly control of the strait. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Delivery firm Evri sues BBC for £1.2m over Panorama documentary pred 18 urami in 14 minutami Company seeks redress for contracts it says it has lost as a result of programme’s claims about its business practicesThe parcel delivery company Evri is suing the BBC for £1.2m over a documentary it claims caused it serious financial loss.Evri has filed particulars of claim at the high court which state that it lost prospective clients after the broadcast of the Panorama documentary Evri: Where’s my parcel? Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Trump’s $2bn bonanza heralds the rise of political grifters across the west pred 18 urami in 17 minutami With voters embracing leaders who brazenly monetise public office, experts say an ethical code is breaking downDonald Trump came to office in 2017 after decades of bankruptcies and business failures. Yes, he was rich, but his latest financial disclosure, published this week, suggests he will depart billions richer.In the first year of his second term, he made more than $2bn from Trump hotels, Trump golf courses, Trump cryptocurrency, Trump watches, Trump cologne, Trump Bibles and more. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Pioneer of ‘extreme male brain’ theory of autism now says phrase unhelpful pred 18 urami in 39 minutami Exclusive: Prof Simon Baron-Cohen says his language was misunderstood and it is a myth that autistic people lack empathyThe scientist who pioneered the “extreme male brain” theory of autism has said he regrets characterising the condition in this way because the phrase lends itself to misunderstandings.Prof Simon Baron-Cohen’s theory that autistic people tend strongly towards systemising over empathising has been hugely influential in shaping the popular perception of autism over the past two decades. The underlying science had stood the test of time, he said, but he now views the “extreme male brain” label as unhelpful. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Australian aged care firm accused in class action of charging residents for high teas and classes they couldn’t use pred 18 urami in 40 minutami Arcare says it’s unable to comment on the federal court case in which it’s alleged it illegally charged feesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastResidents at one of Australia’s largest aged care providers have launched a class action lawsuit alleging fees for services such as high teas and exercise classes were illegally charged to clients who cannot use them due to immobility and other issues.The suit, filed in the federal court, alleges residents of more than 50 Arcare aged care facilities across four states were charged a daily “additional services fee” by Arcare embedded within a “signature package” between July 2020 and July 2026. This includes fees paid by residents who are immobile, unable to swallow, or cognitively impaired. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Cutting language courses puts social mobility at risk, say UK experts pred 18 urami in 41 minutami Exclusive: University moves and falling exam entries fuel concerns about opportunities for working-class pupilsCutting language courses at universities and schools risks undermining social mobility and vocational skills, former education secretaries and experts in the UK have warned.More than 70 languages academics were among 500 staff at the University of Exeter to be told last week they were at risk of redundancy as it seeks to cut 150 full-time posts, predominantly in the humanities. The announcement followed the proposal by the University of Nottingham to become the first Russell Group university to offer no language degrees. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Nancy Pelosi’s husband could face charge after hitting parked car in California pred 19 urami in 31 minutami Paul Pelosi could face misdemeanor charges over crash that left car with ‘major’ damage, authorities sayThe husband of former House speaker Nancy Pelosi was involved in a hit-and-run car crash in California that left a parked vehicle with “major” damage, authorities said on Saturday – and he could face misdemeanor charges.Paul Pelosi was driving his brown convertible on Friday in Yountville, a town in the heart of wine country, when he struck a legally parked car on the side of the road, briefly stopped and then drove away, the Napa county sheriff’s office said in a statement. No injuries were reported.Guardian staff contributed reporting Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Gaza protests against two Democrats spark outcry and debate on tactics pred 19 urami in 41 minutami Incidents involving California state senator Scott Wiener and New York congressman Dan Goldman underscore Israel-Palestine conflict’s role in US electionsTwo recent incidents involving US congressional candidates on opposite coasts have blown up into major controversies, underscoring how the Israel-Palestine conflict has transformed US elections – and illustrating how aggressive protest tactics can spark backlash that overshadows the issues activists meant to highlight.Scott Wiener, a gay Jewish state senator and trans rights advocate who is currently the frontrunner in the race to replace the longtime representative Nancy Pelosi in California’s 11th district, said he felt forced to leave last week’s annual trans pride march in San Francisco after a group of people ran up to him at a local park where the event was taking place, surrounded him and screamed at him over his positions on Israel’s war on Gaza. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
