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The Australian government has changed hands with the defeat of the Liberal Party’s Tony Abbott. Prime Minister Abbott had provoked global ire over his conservative positions on climate change in particular, but also social issues like same-sex marriage. He will now be replaced by Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull, who the New York Times described as a “moderate liberal… and a former investment banker and lawyer.” At a press conference Turnbull said that Abbott, “has not been capable of providing the economic leadership our nation needs. He has not been capable of providing the economic confidence that business needs.” Turnbull will be Australia’s fourth Prime Minister since 2013, and according to the BBC, “Many in his party dislike his support for climate change action and gay marriage.” Despite its name, the Liberal Party is Australia’s conservative party. Click here for a New York Times article about the story.

Britain has also had a major political shakeup in recent days. In party elections over the weekend, Britain’s Labour Party handed a victory over to Jeremy Corbyn, a staunch leftist leader. Corbyn, who proudly identifies as a socialist, won the party vote with a landslide 60%. The New York Times described him as, “consistent and sincere, a professed man of the ‘hard left’ who believes that the Labour Party must return to its roots in the working class and fight inequality in all its forms. He is a sharp critic of American foreign policy and of Israel; he wants Britain to abandon its nuclear deterrent and has favored quitting NATO.” Corbyn’s victory has energized the Labour Party, which, as its name suggests, is rooted in promoting the rights of working class people. British Prime Minister David Cameron who leads the Conservative Party responded to Corbyn’s win saying, “Labour are now a serious risk to our nation’s security, our economy’s security and your family’s security.” Click here for a New York Times article about the story and here for a New York Magazine article about the story.

Here, in the US, a new investigative report by ProPublica has found that wealthy universities are leaving their poorest students behind. The report, titled, “Colleges Flush With Cash Saddle Poorest Students With Debt,” was based on data released by the Department of Education. Writers singled out New York University for having a $3.5 billion endowment while offering some of its faculty, loans to buy summer homes. Meanwhile, their low-income students who receive Pell Grants, graduate with an average debt of $23,250. University of Southern California, and Boston University were also guilty of saddling poor students with massive debts. According to the report, “Overall, students at nonprofit universities fare far better than those at for-profit schools and community colleges.” Click here for a Commondreams article about the story, and here for a link to the study itself.