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US launches second round of airstrikes on Iran, and Tehran responds by targeting Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan

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In today's newsletter: With violent crime declining but hate crime increasing, a look at what we can all do to make our shared spaces saferGood morning. Who is safe on Britain's streets? Two acts of gross violence - the murder of Henry Nowak in Southampton and the stabbing of Stephen Ogilvie in Belfast - have been ruthlessly exploited by the far-right and now the spaces we all share are contested.It is an entirely human response to feel unsafe when we watch a clip of an assailant wielding a knife over his victim, or police officers handcuffing a distressed, dying young man. Much as it is when we see ethnic minority families fleeing burning homes in Belfast, or a menacing crowd in Glasgow setting about black people as they pass.Middle East | The US launched new strikes against targets in Iran for the second consecutive day after Donald Trump promised to hit them hard again" as a two-month-old ceasefire appears close to collapse.UK politics | Keir Starmer's closest aides are war-gaming" how to win a leadership contest ahead of Andy Burnham's much-anticipated return to Westminster if he wins the Makerfield byelection, the Guardian understands.Belfast | Elon Musk's X will face no action to remove a mass of posts inciting violence in Northern Ireland for at least two months, despite widespread condemnation of the platform and its billionaire owner.Environment | Temperatures in the Antarctic climbed above 15C this month, shattering the previous winter heat record for the usually frozen region and raising concerns about the speed of climate breakdown.UK news | One of the government's key contractors has launched an investigation into allegations of racism, antisemitism, Islamophobia and hate speech among staff working in immigration removal centres, the Guardian has learned. Continue reading...

Explosions reported across Iran after Donald Trump vowed to hit them hard again', with Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan targeted by Tehran

Under US rules, even a distant strike can suspend a game - and some will take place in Florida, the thunderstorm stateHot weather will be a major concern at the World Cup, but lightning may also prove a particular problem. Under US safety regulations, a strike within 10 miles (16km) of a stadium triggers a 30-minute suspension of the game, during which players must leave the pitch.The size of the safety zone was dictated by research on the distance that lightning can strike from a storm even with no clouds overhead. This is more than a theoretical risk. During a game in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 1998, an entire team was killed by a single bolt of lightning. There have been many other deadly incidents. Continue reading...

Whistleblowers from Mitie allege some employees have made offensive remarks or liked abusive social media postsOne of the government's key contractors has launched an investigation into allegations of racism, antisemitism, Islamophobia and hate speech among staff working in immigration removal centres, the Guardian has learned.Whistleblowers from the company, Mitie, have alleged that some staff members working in immigration removal centres and deporting migrants have made offensive comments at work and in social media posts. Continue reading...

Analysis pinpoints areas most vulnerable to hotter, drier weather causing ground to shrink and drag foundations downMillions of homes are at risk from climate-related subsidence, according toan analysis by the British Geological Survey (BGS).As hotter, drier summers driven by global heating become more frequent, the ground under houses can shrink and drag down a property's foundations. The most vulnerable areas include London, Essex, Kent and a tranche of land from Oxford up to the Wash on England's east coast, according to scientists, who say mitigation measures will be needed. Continue reading...

Politicians, social media and far-right agitators convinced people that migrant-targeting violence would solve all their problemsWithin minutes of the footage going online - of a Black man stabbing a white man - there was a sense of inexorability to what came next in Northern Ireland.The grievances, the social media platforms, the politicians' doublespeak and the international cheerleaders all provided a fuse. On Monday night came the spark. Continue reading...

This blog has now closed - our coverage of this crisis in the Middle East continues hereIf the US genuinely wants a deal it will have to engage with Iranian demands on sanctions relief, says Danny Citrinowicz, the former head of the Iran branch of Israeli military intelligence.Today's exchange of strikes shows how easily both Iran and the US can slide towards another round of escalation, says Citrinowicz, who is now a nonresident fellow at the Atlantic Council.If Washington is unwilling to accept that reality, it should recognize the likely alternative: continued confrontations with Iran that could eventually spiral beyond anyone's control and lead to military conflict under less favorable conditions.Even a limited military campaign designed to weaken Iran would not fundamentally alter Tehran's negotiating position. It has not happened in the past, and there is little reason to believe it would happen now. Iran emerges from the latest exchange of blows convinced that it can absorb pressure and respond to attacks."Legal and moral responsibility of all countries in the region (especially those located along the southern shores of the Persian Gulf) to prevent the US military and Israel from using their territory or facilities to plan, organise, execute, or support hostile actions against Iran. Continue reading...

Orijol Rukaj was on pallbearer duties when he evaded corrections staff - and has been on the run for the six weeks since

The UCL study also found physically punished children were more likely to struggle in schoolChildren smacked by their parents struggle to get good exam results and are more likely to bully others, causing a negative impact on society, according to new research calling for smacking to be banned.The study by University College London (UCL) found that children in England who were physically punished at the ages of three, five and seven were significantly less likely to pass GCSE exams compared with other children, even after factors such as family background were taken into account. Continue reading...

Blundy's investment firm, BBRC International, owns about 13% of the US-listed lingerie brand, giving it a potential platform to launch a hostile takeover

Plan to move 240,000 people off scheme leads states and territories to jointly warn they can't deliver like-for-like services to people who are exited from the NDIS'

Director of Picnic at Hanging Rock and Gallipoli celebrated for defining Australian culture and global influence on craft, form and storytelling'

Man accused of sedating and filming abuse of partner had contact with Pelicot, who was jailed for drugging wife and inviting men to rape herA bodyguard from Lyon is to go on trial for allegedly sedating and raping his partner after he was in contact online with Dominique Pelicot, who was convicted of drugging and raping his own wife, Gisele Pelicot.Pelicot, one of the worst sex offenders in modern French history, is serving 20 years in prison after he was found guilty of drugging his then wife and inviting dozens of men to rape her in their home in the south of France over almost a decade. He and 50 other men were found guilty after the biggest rape trial in French history in 2024. Continue reading...

As the US prepares to celebrate its 250th anniversary and Trump turns 80, what state is the country in? And its president?This weekend kicks off an extravaganza of celebrations for the US, marking 250 years of independence from Britain - and for Donald Trump, marking 80 years of being, well, him.Presidents gone-by would have used a milestone anniversary to promote national unity. Trump is organising a cage fight. The president is adamant that every decent, flag-waving American will enjoy the festivities ... or at least be talking about the party rather than what he's brought to it. Continue reading...

South Australian Liberal Tony Pasin says parties should work hand-in-glove' to defeat Labor at the next election

Former Labor foreign affairs minister says belief US would defend Australia in event of an existential attack is a ludicrous delusion'

This blog is now closed. Read our main report here: Police use water cannon against rioters in Northern IrelandHadi Alodid refused legal representation and made no reply to charges which were put put to him through an Arabic interpreter as he appeared in court charged with attempted murder following the Belfast knife attack, the Press Association reports.The 30-year-old, with an address at Duncairn Avenue in Belfast, appeared before the city's magistrates' court on Wednesday morning.He is charged with the attempted murder of Stephen Ogilvie on Monday, with threatening to kill an NHS radiographer on the same day and with the possession of a knife. Continue reading...

Force disperses crowd of 300 people who burned truck and reportedly planned to target hotel hosting migrantsPolice have used water cannon against rioters in Northern Ireland during a second night of anti-immigration protests.It dispersed a crowd of about 300 people who burned a truck and threw bricks and petrol bombs close to the Sandyknowes roundabout near Newtownabbey, eight miles north of Belfast. Continue reading...

Singer and actor has denied all charges after more than 20 women came forward with allegations going back to the 1990sThe French singer Patrick Bruel has been charged with rape and sexual assault in one of the biggest #MeToo cases in the French music industry.The 67-year-old, a major figure in French pop culture, was placed under formal investigation over several cases that included alleged rape, attempted rape, sexual assault and sexual harassment. Continue reading...

New name, Bristol Dockyards, and museum revamp aimed at becoming more rooted in community, says chief executiveOne of the UK's maritime landmarks is being renamed as part of a drive to make it cooler" and more inclusive.For a decade, the dockland site in Bristol that houses the ocean liner SS Great Britain, which was designed by the Victorian engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel, has been promoted as Brunel's SS Great Britain. Continue reading...

Vishwash Kumar Ramesh was the only passenger to survive the incident in June 2025, which killed 260 peopleThe only survivor of the Air India plane crash that killed 260 people in June 2025 has called for honesty, transparency and answers" a year on from the disaster, and spoken about his significant psychological scars" and financial hardship.Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, a British national, has previously described his fate as a miracle" after being the only person to survive the incident, in which a Boeing 787 Dreamliner struck a medical college shortly after taking off from Ahmedabad airport. Continue reading...

NSW police say two men and a woman will face court on Thursday over alleged involvement in large-scale drug supply scheme

Shasta county passes measure requiring elections to be held in person on one day and limiting absentee ballots

Surreal scene inside New York court as former city comptroller says he did not block elevators before arrestThe trial against senior New York City Democrat Brad Lander, stemming from his arrest during an attempt to inspect rooms holding detained immigrants, involved six hours of litigating elevator logistics in Manhattan federal court on Wednesday.Lander, the former city comptroller now vying for Democratic incumbent Dan Goldman's congressional district, which encompasses lower Manhattan and north-west Brooklyn, was taken into custody on 18 September last year at 26 Federal Plaza. Continue reading...

Reform UK leader has been unusually quiet in recent weeks - at great cost to the party during a crucial byelectionFake images of Nigel Farage have been ubiquitous online lately - but the real politician has proved far more elusive since it was revealed seven weeks ago that he took a 5m personal gift from a crypto billionaire.And while an AI-generated depiction of the Reform UK leader was falsely shown getting violent on BBC's Question Time, Farage has been largely avoiding the TV studios where he might face questions over the cash. Continue reading...

As completion of 144-year basilica nears, questions swirl over resemblance of church to architect's original plansIt has been a long wait but 144 years after work began, Pope Leo XIV has blessed the recently completed central tower of Antoni Gaudi's Sagrada Familia church in the presence of members of the Spanish royal family, the prime minister and hundreds of bishops.With the completion of the Jesus Christ tower, the tallest of 18 in the temple, the basilica has reached its full height of 172.5 metres. It is now not only the world's tallest church but Barcelona's tallest building. It was consecrated in 2010 by Pope Benedict XVI. Continue reading...

Prime minister is hellbent' on fighting any contest, even if his future may be out of his hands, sources say

Republican who chairs House panel says he based decision on testimony from Epstein's longtime assistant Lesley GroffRepresentative James Comer, the Republican who chairs the House committee on oversight and government reform, announced that he would be asking Alan Dershowitz, Jeffrey Epstein's former attorney, to appear before the panel as part of its investigation into the late sex offender.I am going to ask Alan Dershowitz to come in, we will have questions for him and we will give him an opportunity to come in," Comer said on Wednesday morning, adding that the decision was based on the testimony of Lesley Groff, Epstein's longtime assistant, who testified before the committee on Tuesday, as well as a meeting that I had afterwards with several of the Epstein survivors". Continue reading...

Before the conflict began, inflation was at 2.4%, but the closure of the strait of Hormuz has affected energy pricesDonald Trump said I love the inflation" after new data showed that inflation jumped to an annual rate of 4.2% in May, the third consecutive monthly increase since the start of the Iran war and a three-year high.Speaking from the White House on Wednesday, the US president said that he was not concerned about inflation because of recent developments in the conflict. Continue reading...

Lucy Rigby says heavily subsidised system gives the government the right to alter terms of existing agreementsMinisters have rejected accusations that recent changes to student loans are unfair, arguing that they are so heavily subsidised that the government has the right to alter their terms.Pressure has been intensifying on the UK government to reform the student loans system but the chief secretary to the Treasury, Lucy Rigby, told MPs on Wednesday that less than half of young people go to university, and the government had to bear in mind fairness to taxpayers as a whole". Continue reading...

Critically endangered Tapanuli orangutan population falls after extreme weather - fuelled by climate crisis - in North SumatraExtreme rainfall and landslides fuelled by the climate crisis killed 7% of the remaining population of the world's rarest great ape, a study has found, prompting fears for the species' survival.The research suggests 58 out of the remaining 800 critically endangered Tapanuli orangutans (Pongo tapanuliensis) were killed after more than 1,000mm (39in) of rain fell over four days in Indonesia's North Sumatra province in November 2025. This equates to 11% of the local population and 7% of the entire species. Continue reading...

Stranger Things actor makes first public comments about his ex's revealing hit album which tracks the dissolution of a relationshipDavid Harbour has spoken about his ex Lily Allen's tell-all album West End Girl for the first time in a new interview.The Stranger Things actor, who is on the Emmys trail for the HBO crime drama DTF St Louis, separated from the singer in early 2025 after they married in 2020. The couple filed for divorce months after their separation. Continue reading...

Sean Strickland claims he was not cleared to attend the UFC event because he made fun of Israel and Epstein'The only current men's US UFC champion says he has been barred from Sunday's fight card on the south lawn of the White House because he dared to criticize Donald Trump, Israel and Jeffrey Epstein.On Tuesday night, middleweight champion Sean Strickland wrote on X that he had been informed by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that he had not been cleared to attend the event by the White House. Continue reading...

Enfield council in north London took legal action against restaurant chain after outrage over damage to treeThe UK restaurant chain Toby Carvery has settled a legal dispute over taking a chainsaw to an ancient oak tree without permission, by agreeing to pay to restore a lost orchard.The unauthorised partial felling of the 500-year-old oak next to a Toby Carvery car park in Whitewebbs Park, Enfield, north London, in April last year, prompted widespread public outrage and questions in parliament. Continue reading...

Footage appears to contradict Israeli military's account of killing of seven-month-old Sam Abu Haikal in West BankFootage has emerged that appears to contradict the Israeli military's account of the shooting that killed seven-month-old Sam Abu Haikal in his mother's arms, showing the family's car slowing near a military post before soldiers opened fire.On Friday, the killing of the infant by Israeli troops in the occupied West Bank caused outrage, after soldiers opened fire on the family's vehicle despite it having complied with an order to stop. Sam was killed and his mother, Daniyah Abu Haikal, and father, Fahed Abu Haikal, were both injured. Continue reading...

Retailer plans to shut unprofitable stores as falling US airport traffic due to Middle East conflict hits trading

Oscar winner Mikey Madison and Jeremy Strong to star in film focused on fallout from whistleblower Frances HaugenThe first trailer for Aaron Sorkin's eagerly anticipated follow-up to The Social Network has landed.The Social Reckoning has been described as a film that isn't a straight sequel" but one that will still revisit Mark Zuckerberg and Facebook. Continue reading...

Relatives of Stephen Ogilvie say unrest is unwelcome and that many migrants make valuable contribution to UKThe family of the victim of the Belfast knife attack have called for calm after riots erupted across the city.Stephen Ogilvie is in hospital having lost his left eye in the attack, footage of which was shared widely on social media late on Monday evening and through the day on Tuesday. Continue reading...

System not fit for purpose due to poor infrastructure and planning, with minority groups particularly at risk, MPs sayThe UK's stem cell transplant system is potentially putting the lives of blood cancer patients at risk as a result of inadequate infrastructure and a lack of long-term planning, a parliamentary report has found.A hematopoietic stem cell transplant, often referred to as a bone marrow transplant, is a medical procedure in which stem cells from a healthy donor are transplanted into a patient. Continue reading...

Hadi Alodid, 30, further charged with possessing a knife in a public place and making threats to kill on same dayA man has appeared in court accused of the attempted murder of a man in Belfast on Monday night.Hadi Alodid, 30, of Duncairn Avenue, Belfast, was charged with the attempted murder of Stephen Ogilvie. He was further charged with possessing a knife in a public place, Kinnaird Avenue, on the same day. Continue reading...

Jermiah Copeland had admitted killing Angelina Resendiz, attacking another sailor and illegally recording another

Company says it has strong bookings for England matches and has spruced up gardens for domestic tourists

Renewed outrage at White House's use manga and anime imagery after US president is depicted as ninja NarutoJapanese anime and manga fans are urging Donald Trump to stop using their favourite characters in his social media posts.About 20,000 people have signed a petition on Change.org entitled Protect Japanese Manga, protesting against the official White House X account posting videos featuring unauthorised use of imagery from the popular Dragon Ball, Yu-Gi-Oh! and Naruto series. Angry fans have also been posting their displeasure on social media. Continue reading...

Northern Ireland's justice minister says online bad faith actors' have incited racism in city after knife attack

Billboards are being painted over and former allies seem eager to forget the man they once glorifiedFor years, his bewhiskered face stared down from propaganda billboards glorifying the supposedly revolutionary rule of a dictator who styled himself as the protector of the people".The spin-doctored adoration was such that factories churned out plastic action figures exalting Nicolas Maduro as an indestructible" and iron-fisted" caped crusader nicknamed Super Moustache". Continue reading...

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England supporters face paying inflation-busting 95 for an adult shirt as the tournament begins in the USFans of World Cup teams kitted out by Nike face the highest costs if they want to buy a replica shirt before the tournament kicks off this week amid a striking" overall increase in prices.Alongside the official match versions, which are retailing for as much as 160, manufacturers typically make stadium", or replica, versions aimed at supporters. Continue reading...

The 700 projects include wind and solar farms, battery storage, gas and hydro plansMore than half the renewable energy projects needed to meet the government's clean power targets by 2030 are now able to plug into the electricity grid after years of delay, according to the system operator.The National Energy System Operator (Neso) has offered more than 700 clean energy projects in Great Britain a grid connection date since the start of the year, after a two-year process to unblock a bottleneck that threatened to delay projects into the 2030s. Continue reading...