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Tom Steyer, the billionaire environmental activist and one of the Democratic party’s biggest political donors, has announced his bid for California governor, joining a rapidly expanding field looking to replace the termed-out Gavin Newsom. Steyer, who previously ran for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020, said he is entering the race to tackle what he calls the state’s “intractable affordability crisis”.A billionaire activist with deep political rootsSteyer, 68, built his fortune in finance after founding Farallon Capital Management in 1986, turning it into one of the world’s most influential hedge funds. But he left the firm in 2012 to devote himself full-time to political and environmental causes. He went on to create NextGen America, a youth-focused voter mobilisation organisation centred on climate change, reproductive rights and progressive policy.He has since become one of the largest donors to Democratic candidates and initiatives across the US, spending millions on ..

In a bold move ahead of his January inauguration, Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani has confirmed Jessica Tisch as NYPD Commissioner. This choice, while reflecting their divergent views on policing, underscores a shared commitment to enhancing public safety and reducing crime. New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani announced on Wednesday that Jessica Tisch has accepted his offer to remain as commissioner of the NYPD, securing one of his highest-profile appointments ahead of taking office in January. Tisch was appointed by outgoing mayor Eric Adams and has led the nation’s largest police force through a record drop in crime, including reductions in shootings and homicides.“Leading this department is the greatest privilege of my life, and I am proud to continue doing it,” Tisch wrote in a letter to the NYPD obtained by CNN. “Now, do the Mayor-elect and I agree on everything? No, we don’t. But in speaking with him, it’s clear that we share broad and crucial priorities: the importance of public..

AdvertisementAustraliaAsiaAustralasiaTurkey to host Cop31 climate summit as Australia opts for compromiseCanberra will lead the conference’s negotiations among governments, ending a stand-off with Ankara
Reading Time:2 minutesWhy you can trust SCMPReutersPublished: 8:43am, 20 Nov 2025Updated: 8:45am, 20 Nov 2025Turkey will host next year’s UN climate summit while Australia will lead the conference’s negotiations among governments under a compromise deal taking shape in talks in Brazil, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Thursday.AdvertisementThe annual Cop conferences are the world’s main forum for driving climate action. The compromise would resolve a stand-off between Australia and Turkey over who would stage Cop31. Both bid in 2022 to host it and refused to stand down.The two sides were now close to a deal that would see Turkey hosting Cop31 as summit president, with a pre-Cop event staged in the Pacific and Australia as president of negotiations, Albanese said.
“Wha..

AdvertisementEducation in Hong KongHong KongEducationHong Kong’s elite schools vet book donations for national security risksKings College, Queen Elizabeth School and St Paul’s Co-educational College screen donations, review collections in line with guidelines
Reading Time:2 minutesWhy you can trust SCMP1William YiuPublished: 8:30am, 20 Nov 2025An elite Hong Kong government school has warned that some books donated by alumni may contain material potentially breaching national security legislation, pledging to adopt a new policy rejecting publications with political propaganda or illegal content.AdvertisementKing’s College, in Mid-Levels, revealed the decision in its latest annual report on safeguarding national security and promoting national security education.
In its report, the 99-year-old institution said many alumni and supporters had donated books to show their backing, but it found that some titles potentially risked breaching the national security law and had decided to introdu..

Princess Kate Middleton delivered her first public speech in two years at the Future Workforce Summit in London. The appearance marked her return to regular duties after announcing her cancer diagnosis in March 2024 and her remission earlier this year.In her remarks, the Princess of Wales concentrated on early childhood, a long-standing area of her public work. She said that a child’s earliest years have a lasting impact on adult life and described love and stable relationships as factors that contribute to resilience and wellbeing.
Kate Middleton's appeal to business leadersKate urged business leaders to balance financial goals with policies that support families and caregiving. She said companies should value “time and tenderness” alongside productivity and argued that profitability and positive social impact do not have to be at odds.She encouraged workplaces to consider how their structures and expectations affect parents and young children, particularly in the early years.The..

Trump administration is proposing a major change to green card qualification.

The Donald Trump administration has been working to shake up an immigration policy that could deny lawful immigrants their desired green card if the immigration officials decide that they are going to become dependent on the state. The Department of Homeland Security has moved to change the public charge rule which has been in place since December 2022. DHS plans to expand the public charge policy that would lower the threshold for being deemed likely to depend on the government. According to reports, the rule will formally be proposed on November 19 and will be open for public feedback for 30 days. What is public charge?Public charge is the factors that make one immigrant dependent on the government. It is a ground of inadmissibility. The Immigration and Nationality Act does not define “public charge” but requires a totality test of certain factors to determine if a foreign national is likely to become a p..