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Kentucky congressman who championed Epstein bill failed to fight off attacks from president in victory for Trump

A $1m reward has been announced for information relating to the suspicious death of an opal miner more than 30 years ago. Follow updates live

Victory for Ed Gallrein, former Navy Seal hand-picked by Trump, shows strength of president's grip on partyDonald Trump displayed his supremacy over the Republican party on Tuesday when voters in northern Kentucky rejected the maverick congressman Thomas Massie in favour of the US president's hand-picked challenger.Ed Gallrein, a retired Navy Seal and farmer who was recruited into the race by Trump, defeated the seven-term incumbent in a primary election in Kentucky's fourth congressional district in what the president's allies framed as a test of whether dissent could still exist inside today's Republican party. Continue reading...

Single strike on the village of Deir Qanoun al Nahr in the coastal Tyre province killed 10, including three children and three women, health ministry saysIsraeli airstrikes on southern Lebanon on Tuesday killed at least 19 people, including four women and three children, Lebanon's health ministry said, the latest in near-daily attacks from both sides that have not stopped despite a fragile, US-brokered ceasefire.Israel's military did not immediately comment on the casualties or specific incidents, but said that between Monday afternoon and Tuesday afternoon, it had targeted more than 25 sites of Hezbollah infrastructure in southern Lebanon. Continue reading...

Altadena group pans report as pages of deflection' and cites reliance on department insiders' rather than residentsLos Angeles county fire officials did not discriminate on the basis of race or socioeconomic status and did not delay in their evacuation orders during last year's deadly Eaton fire in Altadena, a consulting firm found on Monday.At the behest of the county and its fire department, the California-based firm Citygate Associates conducted an investigation into how evacuation alerts were deployed last January, after emergency response officials came under fierce scrutiny for reported delays. Continue reading...

Retail sources rebuff government proposal as unjustified' and likely to push costs up across boardUK supermarkets have been asked by the government to consider freezing the prices of some essential foodstuffs to protect the public from inflation fuelled by the Middle East conflict.Retailers rejected the plan, criticising its potential cost amid rising taxes, fuel and energy costs and arguing it could push up prices for shoppers overall. Continue reading...

Landmark report calls for widespread air conditioning and says UK temperatures forecast to exceed 40C by 2050British homes will need air conditioning to survive predicted levels of global heating, the government's climate advisers have warned in a report, as measures such as drawing curtains, opening windows and growing trees for shade are not likely to be enough.Air conditioning should be installed in all care homes and hospitals within the next 10 years, and in all schools within 25 years, according to the Climate Change Committee (CCC), which published a major report on adapting to the impacts of global heating on Wednesday. Continue reading...

National Audit Office says potential benefits are considerable but uncertain' while risks are immediate and substantial'The cost of the government's 38bn nuclear plant in Suffolk is subject to significant uncertainty" and may outweigh the benefits for UK households until at least 2064, according to the government's spending watchdog.The National Audit Office (NAO) has warned that although the potential benefits of the Sizewell C nuclear plant are considerable, they remain uncertain. The risks, however, are immediate, substantial and borne by the public". Continue reading...

NSW police establish crime scene at Canley Heights home after two pairs of men present at different hospitals

The firearms the shooters, aged 17 and 18, used in the fatal rampage were registered to one of their parentsThe two teenage assailants responsible for a mass shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego, California, rushed toward the mosque fully armored" with handguns and rifles, authorities said.A security guard shot and struck one of the shooters, according to members of the mosque - but the attacker continued charging. The guard also alerted administrators of the school at the Islamic Center, telling them to go into lockdown, before he was shot and killed. If it was not for him ... The carnage would be much worse," said imam Taha Hassane. He sacrificed his life." Continue reading...

Hollingworth, appointed governor general by John Howard in 2001, resigned over his handling of child sexual abuse in the Anglican churchFormer governor general Peter Hollingworth, who resigned over his handling of child sexual abuse in the Anglican church, has died.Hollingworth, who devoted much of his life to fighting poverty, served as the Anglican archbishop of Brisbane for 11 years from 1990, the first Australian-born person to hold the position. Continue reading...

Roots of idea for ending neoliberalism' have been growing over many months - with many different influencesManchesterism is the end of neoliberalism". That was the claim made by Andy Burnham in his campaign launch video this week - a film which made an audacious offer not just to his byelection constituents in Makerfield, but how he intended to change national politics and the economy.But the 2026 doctrine of Manchesterism is very different to its 19th-century namesake, when it was a byword for free trade. Continue reading...

The boundaries of entertainment are always pushed for each series,' psychologist says, as speculation grows over show's futureThe pressure to keep audiences glued to hit reality TV shows is leading to participants being put in increasingly risky and exploitative situations, according to a psychologist and executive who have both previously worked on Married at First Sight UK.Two women have alleged they were raped during the filming of the show, which is one of Channel 4's most popular and profitable programmes, and said not enough was done to protect them. Continue reading...

Investigation launched as video circulates online showing officer firing at vehicle and colleagues dragging away bodyAuthorities in Jamaica have launched an investigation after CCTV footage of a woman's fatal shooting by police sent shock waves across the Caribbean nation.Footage circulating on social media shows a police officer firing at a vehicle during a protest on Sunday in Granville, in Jamaica's north-western parish of St James. The bullet hit Latoya Bulgin, 45, who was behind the wheel of the vehicle. Continue reading...

Filings reveal $220m to $750m in trades on US president's behalf in first quarter of 2026, including securities linked to largest US companiesHundreds of thousands of dollars was invested in Eli Lilly on Donald Trump's behalf earlier this year, according to financial disclosures, as the US drugmaker benefited from his administration's bid to expand access to blockbuster obesity treatments.Ethics filings revealed several thousand trades on the US president's behalf tied to stocks and bonds in the first quarter of 2026, with a cumulative value of between $220m and around $750m. Continue reading...

Darren Jones says release will be one of the largest government publications ever laid in this house'On Friday parliament's intelligence and security committee issued a damning statement about the government's response to the humble address requiring the release of documents relating to the appointment of Peter Mandelson as ambassador to the US. It said the government was not fully complying with what is in effect an instruction from the Commons. For good measure, the committee also accuses the government of not keeping proper record of its decisions and of doing far too much business by WhatsApp. Here is our story, by Henry Dyer and Paul Lewis.At 12.30pm Jeremy Wright, deputy chair of the committee and a former Tory attorney general, will ask a Commons urgent question about this. He is asking Darren Jones, the chief secretary to the PM, to reply. Continue reading...

About 40% of parking spaces under apartments in Australia sit empty, yet strict planning rules mean more unwanted spots continue to be built

Transport secretary Heidi Alexander blames Conservative government for obscene increase in times and costs'

Party confirms that no other candidates have been shortlisted for election expected to take place on 18 June

Conflict, mistrust and delayed detection could complicate response to emergency caused by Bundibugyo variantTo be around the centre of an Ebola outbreak is to become used to the smell of chlorine. At hospitals and government buildings, surfaces are sprayed with it and hands washed in a 0.05% solution that can kill the virus in 60 seconds.Infrared handheld thermometers take temperatures at airports and border crossings. Any indication of a fever prevents passage. Contact-tracing teams crisscross the countryside. Continue reading...

Retired NHS worker Nicholas Stone died after becoming unwell at protest against far-right Bristol PatriotsThe police watchdog is investigating the use of force against a retired NHS worker who attended a counter-demonstration against the far right and died shortly after contact with officers there.Nicholas Stone, 65, who lived in Bristol, died on 10 January after becoming unwell at a protest opposing the rightwing group Bristol Patriots, who were demonstrating in the city centre. Continue reading...

Pub owner's sale to Barcelona-based brewer Damm is latest takeover of a British beer by an overseas buyer

At least 130 people thought to have been killed, says Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus before emergency meeting

Zainab Sheriff unjustly sentenced to four years in prison for incitement and threatening language, say activistsLawyers, politicians and activists have called for the release of one of Sierra Leone's best-known celebrities, who they said was unjustly imprisoned as part of a government crackdown on free speech and political dissent.Zainab Sheriff, a singer and reality-TV show contestant who became a political opposition figure, was sentenced in April to four years and two months' imprisonment for incitement and using threatening language. Continue reading...

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Pay growth eases to 3.4% as businesses face pressure from soaring energy costs

We cannot continue to blame migrants for the problems of our economy,' backbencher Andrew McLachlan says

Rising volume of components imported from China prompts warning of cannibalisation of European industriesEurope is facing a fresh China shock that threatens to cannibalise local factories, leading to job losses and de facto colonisation of industry by Beijing, trade analysts and representatives have said.They fear the plunging exchange rate and support for Chinese zombie firms" has echoes of the crisis in the US 25 years ago when the term China shock" was coined. It referred to the impact of China bursting on to the global trade stage after becoming a member of the World Trade Organization, with soaring imports displacing local industries and causing the loss of up to 2.5m jobs. Continue reading...

In today's newsletter: Labour has been decimated, Reform has taken up the official opposition, and the Senedd has expanded massively - taking the country's new leadership into uncharted watersGood morning. While Westminster-watchers were obsessed with Labour's leadership shenanigans, a new chapter in the relationship between Cardiff and the UK government opened.After claiming power in this month's elections, Plaid Cymru has wasted no time in testing Keir Starmer's openness" to reform. In London, the party tabled an amendment to the king's speech, calling for a number of justice, infrastructure and welfare powers to be devolved to the Senedd.UK news | A rescue deal for Thames Water is under threat because of a potential change in prime minister, government insiders have said.UK politics | Andy Burnham drew the battle lines for the future of the Labour party on Monday as the Greater Manchester mayor promised he would change Labour" and win back the voters the party had lost.US news | Five people, including two suspects, were killed in a shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego, California, in what authorities said was being investigated as a hate crime.Middle East | Iran has made a new proposal for a deal to definitively end the war, officials in the region said, with Donald Trump claiming he had postponed new military strikes so talks could continue.Technology | A jury ruled in favour of Sam Altman in the culmination of a long and bitter legal battle that pitted the richest person in the world against a leader of the AI boom. Continue reading...

Dr Sharmila Chandran suspended until 20 September as Royal Australasian College of Physicians agrees to work with regulator to meet its obligations

The foreign affairs select committee meets this week to discuss next steps and there are concerns any conclusions reached at this stage may be prematureThe parliamentary inquiry into Peter Mandelson's appointment as US ambassador has heard more than 77,000 words of evidence from five of the most senior officials and advisers in government. Yet, as MPs on the foreign affairs select committee meet this week to discuss next steps, there are concerns that key questions remain unanswered.The committee's investigation has been hampered by a lack of documentary evidence, amid concerns that the government is not adhering to the terms of a parliamentary motion that ordered the release of all papers" relating to the appointment. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Families of victims have called for health workers to be first responders and police minister says deal with NSW Health very close to being signed'

Prosecution is seen as landmark step towards justice over abuses of refugees trying to reach Europe from AfricaA former militia commander accused of overseeing murder, rape, enslavement and torture in Libyan detention centres will appear at the international criminal court on Tuesday for a hearing that campaigners say is a landmark step towards justice, truth, reparation and deterrence" of abuses of refugees trying to reach Europe from Africa.The prosecution of Khaled Mohamed Ali El Hishri on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity is the first to reach a courtroom resulting from the ICC's investigation into crimes in Libya after the fall of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. Continue reading...

Commemoration of atrocity at Nova music festival confronts those who deny its gravity, says Elkana BohbotTwo police vans waited expectantly near the front entrance. Officers patrolled the pavements while suited security men with ear pieces stood stern-faced, casting suspicious looks at those approaching. The location in east London had not been disclosed until that morning but no chances were being taken.It was not for a visiting dignitary or even an embassy of a country in conflict that all this was deemed necessary but the Nova exhibition, a commemoration of the 378 people massacred at a music festival on 7 October along with the 44 taken as hostages and the 19 of those who died in Hamas captivity. Continue reading...

Port has upgraded offshore wind facilities and is to expand quays, ferry terminals and cruise ship servicesThe operator of Belfast harbour plans to spend 1.3bn over the next 25 years to take advantage of strong economic growth in Northern Ireland, in what would be one of the largest non-governmental investments in the region's history.The Belfast Harbour Commissioners said the money would be spent on upgrading the port, with the possibility of residential property developments that could add another 750m in investment on top. Continue reading...

This blog is now closed. See our latest full report: Trump claims planned attack on Iran postponed after Tehran makes new proposal to end warFriedrich Merz has been embroiled in a row with Donald Trump over his war on Iran ever since the German chancellor suggested the Trump team was being outplayed in its negotiations with Tehran and said he would not advise his children to study or work in the US in the current climate.The Guardian's Berlin correspondent, Deborah Cole, has looked at the declining relationship between the two leaders in this story. Here is an extract:Disputes over trade and military aid for Ukraine have fuelled tensions between the US and its European allies and tested the Nato alliance.Merz is struggling to revive an anaemic German economy and has said the impact of the US-Israeli military action in Iran and the ensuing closure of the strait of Hormuz has been severely damaging to European interests.We strongly condemn the renewed Iranian airstrikes against the United Arab Emirates and other partners. Attacks on nuclear facilities pose a threat to the safety of people throughout the entire region. There must be no further escalation of violence.Iran must enter into serious negotiations with the USA, stop threatening its neighbours, and open the strait of Hormuz without restrictions. Continue reading...

King distinguished herself as a tennis champ at Cal State Los Angeles, winning Wimbledon doubles while enrolledWhen Billie Jean King left college in 1964, she had a purpose. Within a few years, she had become the top-ranked tennis professional in the world. Over a trailblazing career, she won 39 championships, a Presidential Medal of Freedom and a congressional Medal of Honor - all while pushing publicly for gender and pay equality.Last year, she finally returned to finish the degree in history she started more than six decades ago. On Monday, she graduated, at 82 years old. Continue reading...

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Ministry of Defence names soldier who fell from her horse as Lance Bombardier Ciara Sullivan, 24, part of the King's Troop, Royal Horse ArtilleryA soldier who died after falling from her horse at the Royal Windsor Horse Show was named as Lance Bombardier Ciara Sullivan, 24 - an exceptional jockey" with an infectious energy", her commanding officer said.Sullivan, part of the King's Troop, Royal Horse Artillery, fell at around 7pm on Friday after exiting the arena. Continue reading...

Democrats criticize deal as a slush fund that funnels taxpayer dollars' to president's political allies

Spokesperson for Indian Ocean island nation says they will try to recover explorers in next couple of daysRescuers have located the bodies of four Italian divers deep inside an underwater cave in an atoll in the Maldives, four days after they were reported missing.Searches had resumed after being suspended following the death of a local military diver during a perilous mission to try to reach them. Continue reading...

President's remarks about Taiwan arms deals being a negotiating chip' with Beijing have been seized on by Chinese state mediaIt has been an unsettling few days for Taiwan's government. When Donald Trump met Xi Jinping in Beijing on Thursday, many feared the unpredictable US leader could upend Washington's longstanding support for Taipei.But beyond a starkly worded statement from Xi stressing China's claims over Taiwan, which it claims as part of its territory despite never having ruled it, initial signs appeared good for Taipei. Continue reading...

Champion's childhood coach recalls his early promise while a six-year-old fan hopes to follow in Rai's footstepsThere was a real buzz and sense of pride at the 3 Hammers golf complex in Wolverhampton, the old stomping grounds of Aaron Rai, who on Sunday became the first Englishman since 1919 to win the US PGA Championship.It was the first major title of the 31-year-old's career and Rai described it as truly a dream come true". Continue reading...

Former contestants claim there was not enough protection for cast during making of Channel 4 showTwo women have alleged they were raped during the filming of Married at First Sight UK, one of Channel 4's biggest shows, and a third alleged she was subjected to a non-consensual sex act.The show did not do enough to protect them, the women told an edition of the BBC's Panorama outlining their allegations. Continue reading...

Kalshi announces two-year investment to National Council on Problem Gambling focused on trader health and safety'The prediction market Kalshi, which maintains it is not a gambling platform, has announced plans to give $2m to the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) as it continues to ride a nationwide surge.While prediction markets allow users to bet - or trade" - on the outcome of almost anything, from elections to sports to geopolitical events, the industry has vehemently fought efforts by state officials to regulate its platforms like those of conventional gambling giants. Continue reading...

Pouria Zeraati, who worked for a dissident Farsi-language broadcaster, was attacked outside his home in 2024The stabbing of a journalist in London was a planned attack ordered by a third party acting on behalf of the Iranian state, a court has heard.Pouria Zeraati, a British journalist of Iranian origin had worked for Iran International, a Farsi-language dissident Farsi-language broadcaster, when he was stabbed in the leg outside of his west London home in 2024. Continue reading...

If most popular Labour politician cannot win this seat then party's electoral problems run deeper than Keir StarmerThe Makerfield byelection is bigger than Andy Burnham. Of the Labour MPs who were back on the constituency's doorsteps in Hindley Green and Winstanley, just after an intensive local election campaign, many said the fight felt existential.It matters because it is probably the closest the UK will ever come to a direct presidential-style election, run through one single constituency and likely to decide the future of the Labour party. Continue reading...

Accounts for Reform UK leader's media company suggest money was not withdrawn at time of property purchaseNigel Farage is facing fresh scrutiny over his claim that he paid for his 1.4m house from a reality show fee rather than the millions gifted to him by a crypto billionaire.Accounts for the Reform leader's personal media company, Thorn in the Side Ltd, suggest that money was not withdrawn from the firm at the time of the house purchase. Continue reading...

Bank founded 174 years ago could be phased out from as early as 1 July as part of group's reviewBosses at Lloyds Banking Group are considering axing the Halifax as a standalone brand, as part of a sweeping review that could result in the historic 174-year-old lender disappearing from Britain's high streets.Lloyds has been assessing the future of its branding strategy and whether it will continue to operate everyday banking under three different brands - Lloyds, Halifax and Bank of Scotland - after government-backed rescue efforts at the height of the 2008 financial crisis. Continue reading...

Some in party fear all-out campaign could boost Reform UK chancesThe Greens are locked in an internal debate about how hard to challenge Andy Burnham in the Makerfield byelection, with some worried about allowing Reform UK to win and others wanting the party to go all out.While characterised by insiders as very civilised", the discussion has highlighted existing differences between Greens who believe concessions can be won from Labour through informal cooperation and others - including some newer leftwing activists - who argue it achieves little. Continue reading...