Meeting of 32 member states comes at crucial time for alliance after tensions with US over Iran and GreenlandI am also keeping an eye on reports of explosions in Damascus, Syria, shortly after the French president, Emmanuel Macron, entered the presidential palace to meet Syrian president Ahmad al-Sharaa.The explosions reportedly happened near the Four Seasons Hotel, where it was reported that Macron spent the night. Continue reading...
by Jessica Murray Social affairs correspondent on (#76TBX)
Couple devastated' after DNA tests for children's British citizenship showed no biological connection to themA British-based couple who had twins through an overseas surrogacy agency later discovered they had no biological connection to the children after the agency mistakenly used donor sperm.The couple, referred to as PP and QQ in court documents, were devastated" after making the discovery via DNA tests while applying for British citizenship for the children. Continue reading...
Chinese leader Xi Jinping calls for all out' rescue effort as death toll rises and 16 people remain buried after a landslide in the country's westThe death toll from devastating storms in parts of China rose to 15 on Tuesday, with hundreds more injured and tens of thousands evacuated, state media reported, as the country's leader, Xi Jinping, urged all out" efforts to rescue people affected by the weather.Thunderstorms and gale-force winds killed at least 11 people and injured 331 in the central province of Hubei, where severe convective weather" hit cities, while tornadoes were reported elsewhere late Monday, state news agency Xinhua said. Continue reading...
by Rob Evans, Emine Sinmaz and Harry Davies on (#76TAV)
Hannes Marschalek, who allegedly exposed his penis to four other women in Cambridgeshire, tried via US court martialA US airman who allegedly exposed himself to a 16-year-old girl and four young women in England was able to avoid the British justice system after the US military was permitted to take control of the case, the Guardian can reveal.Cambridgeshire police received complaints that the airman, Hannes Marschalek, had indecently exposed himself to the women as they walked past his home in Littleport, a small town in Cambridgeshire, in 2022. Continue reading...
by Damian Carrington Environment editor on (#76TAT)
Exclusive: Record temperatures fuelled by climate crisis left 86% of homes too hot' and many people feeling unwellWith parts of England once again in the grip of a heatwave, an opinion poll shows the one at the end of June led to mass sleep deprivation", with two in three people struggling to sleep during the sweltering nights.Almost half of people said they had lost at least three hours of sleep each night. The results are consistent with scientific research showing that global heating is damaging sleep across the world. Continue reading...
by Josh Butler, Tom McIlroy and Eva Corlett on (#76T61)
Solomon Islands prime minister says he doesn't want to see more countries testing ICBMs in Pacific, adding be our friend but don't threaten us'Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese has said China's weapons test in the Pacific risks fuelling dangerous nuclear proliferation, with the intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) fired on Monday capable of causing considerable damage" if weaponised.International condemnation has grown overnight after China's state news agency Xinhua reported on Monday that a strategic missile carrying a dummy warhead" had been launched from a strategic nuclear submarine of the navy". Continue reading...
Saliva and gut sensor-based tests hailed as gamechanger' for millions of women who can wait years for diagnosisTwo tests that can dramatically speed up diagnosis of endometriosis are to be made available on the NHS in England and Wales, in a move hailed as a gamechanger" for millions of women.One in 10 women of reproductive age are affected by the condition, where tissue similar to that found in the womb lining grows elsewhere, such as the ovaries and fallopian tubes. Symptoms include painful periods, painful bowel movements, pain when urinating and pain during or after sex. Continue reading...
Treasury select committee also says ministers have moral obligation to reverse last year's repayment threshold freezeSlideshows that compared student loan repayments with the cost of a mobile phone contract, and YouTube videos that did not mention the fact that loan terms could change amounted to mis-selling by the government, MPs have said.The chancellor, Rachel Reeves, caused a furore last year when she announced that the repayment threshold on plan 2 student loans would be frozen at 29,385 for three years from April 2027. Continue reading...
Meeting of 32 member states comes at crucial time for alliance after tensions with US over Iran and GreenlandNato leaders will gather in Ankara on Tuesday after a turbulent six months. And as the US continues to pressure its allies to increase defence spending, the other 31 members of the alliance will be hoping to mollify an unpredictable Donald Trump.On Monday, Mark Rutte, Nato's secretary general, called for the allies to present clear, concrete and credible plans" to reach the organisation's spending targets. President Trump fully expects that all allies will step up immediately and get on the path to 5% and do it with urgency," he said. Continue reading...
Wars in Iran and Ukraine have expended stockpiles of sought-after missiles, leaving gap in military resourcesThere are growing concerns in Europe that the US defence industrial base is no longer providing the weapons pledged to Nato allies with US stockpiles depleted owing to the conflicts in Ukraine and Iran, leaving allies to consider new avenues to arm and defend themselves.As Nato leaders including the US president, Donald Trump, convene in Ankara, Turkey, the US plans to address European defence spending and concerns over the Trump administration's future commitment to the military alliance. Continue reading...
Thousands of women are killed in dowry disputes each year, despite the practice being banned in 1961Dowry deaths in India no longer provoke the public anger they once did, despite thousands of women's lives still being lost every year, according to new research.The killings - women who are murdered or driven to suicide following dowry disputes between families - have also faded from political debate, despite an increase in cases. Continue reading...
Leader of France's far-right National Rally and a contender for the presidency set to hear appeal decision on TuesdayMarine Le Pen, France's far-right figurehead and a leading contender for its presidency, will learn on Tuesday whether she can run in next year's election when a Paris appeals court rules on her attempt to overturn a ban on holding elected office.The ruling will determine whether the far-right National Rally (RN) will be led by Le Pen, 57, or her young protege, Jordan Bardella, 30 in next year's general elections. Continue reading...
Victims with cuts and gunshot injuries rushed to hospital after fighting between prisoners from two drug gangsClashes at a Sri Lankan jail have killed 26 people, including seven guards, and wounded more than 100 in the country's deadliest prison riot in years, officials said.Victims with cuts and gunshot injuries were rushed to Negombo hospital, north of the capital Colombo after overnight fighting between prisoners from two drug gangs, police said on Monday. Continue reading...
Report by HM inspector of prisons for England and Wales comes as spending on frontline education falls by up to 50%Brutal" cuts to prison education and training by Labour ministers are leading to an increase in drug use, self-harm and violence, a watchdog's withering final annual report has said.Charlie Taylor, who steps down as HM inspector of prisons for England and Wales in the autumn after six years, has also warned the authorities must keep a close eye" on the impending release of thousands of prisoners later this year. Continue reading...
by Mark Brown North of England correspondent on (#76T64)
Jake Richards announces measures to prevent abuse like that at Medomsley detention centre in County DurhamOne of the UK's most horrific and shocking child custody scandals was collectively ignored for decades because the victims were working-class boys from the north of England, a government minister has said.The sentencing and youth justice minister, Jake Richards, has announced he is implementing a number of recommendations to prevent abuse such as that which took place between 1961 and 1987 at Medomsley detention centre in County Durham from ever happening again. Continue reading...
by Emma Graham-Harrison in Jerusalem and Haroon Siddi on (#76SR7)
Friends of Yeshivat Shavei Hevron sent nearly 200,000 to school in Hebron - where Israel has been accused of imposing apartheid - between 2019 and 2024A British charity is funding a religious school at the heart of expansion plans for the illegal Israeli settlement in the Palestinian city of Hebron.Friends of Yeshivat Shavei Hevron sent nearly 200,000 to the school between 2019 and 2024, the last year for which accounts are publicly available on the website of the Charity Commission, the charity regulator for England and Wales. Continue reading...
Outgoing PM will stress British commitment to defence spending at meeting in Ankara to counter Trump rebukesKeir Starmer will seek to work with European allies to shore up support for Nato at its summit in Ankara on Tuesday amid concerns that Donald Trump could further destabilise the military alliance with threats over defence spending.Downing Street said the prime minister and other international leaders would be focused on building a stronger and more European Nato" as they attempt to address the US president's concerns in the Turkish capital. Continue reading...
Impoverished island was already struggling to keep the lights on before the US imposed a blockade in JanuaryCuba on Monday suffered its third nationwide power outage since the start of the year, the state electricity company said.The impoverished island was already struggling to keep the lights on before the US president, Donald Trump, imposed an oil blockade in January, which has depleted the already dwindling supply of fuel for Cuba's power plants. Continue reading...
British-born vocalist competed on The X-Factor before joining the girl groups Paradiso Girls and G.R.L.Lauren Bennett, member of the girl group G.R.L. and featured artist on LMFAO's global smash hit Party Rock Anthem, has died at the age of 37.It is with great sadness that we share the passing of our beloved Lauren," the group wrote on their Instagram page. Our hearts are broken, and we cannot begin to express how much she meant to us." A cause of death was not specified. Continue reading...
by Guardian staff and agencies in Beijing on (#76SZ9)
Tropical storm causes extreme flooding in south of the country with heavy rainfall expected in coming daysA tropical storm has killed two people, caused dam breaches and forced tens of thousands to evacuate in southern China.Typhoon Maysak killed two people in Nanning, in China's southern Guangxi province. Maysak, which lashed Vietnam and China's southern island province of Hainan over the weekend, will dump the water it sucked up on its way across the South China Sea as it weakens and heads inland, meteorologists say. Continue reading...
Crowds swelled through Tehran as mourners dressed in black carried flags proclaiming: We will rise'A crowd of millions" assembled on Monday for the funeral procession of Iran's assassinated supreme leader, Ali Khamenei.The scale and depth of the march, however engineered, represents an extraordinary turnaround for a country that only seven months ago was gripped by street protests at which thousands of people were killed by government security forces. Continue reading...
PM stepped in over proposal to shift World Cup match to an earlier time, amid concerns it would benefit MexicoKeir Starmer intervened through diplomatic channels to oppose Fifa's plan to bring forward England's World Cup game against Mexico, amid concerns the change would hand the hosts an unfair advantage, it is understood.The prime minister instructed officials to argue against proposals to move the kick-off from 1am UK time (6pm local time) to earlier after being alerted by the Football Association that it would reduce England's time to acclimatise to the high altitude in Mexico City. Continue reading...
The Nigerian-American writer says she will not watch' Gina Prince-Bythewood's adaptation of her fantasy bestsellerTomi Adeyemi, the author of the popular YA fantasy Children of Blood and Bone, has distanced herself from the forthcoming film adaptation of her book.There is a reason I will not post anything about the adaptation of my work," the Nigerian-American author said in group chat messages shared to TikTok. Continue reading...
Media scrutiny of party leader's finances has undermined his claim to be a politician in tune with typical votersWith his personal funding once again under media scrutiny, Nigel Farage, the leader of the rightwing Reform UK party, is adamant he is the victim of an establishment plot" trying to stop him from reaching Downing Street.This time, Farage is facing questions about support for his lifestyle from the convicted criminal George Cottrell, just months after it was revealed by the Guardian that he also took 5m from the cryptocurrency billionaire Christopher Harborne as a personal gift. Continue reading...
by Gwyn Topham Transport correspondent on (#76SWD)
Airline's board to recommend offer of 6.90 a share in deal analysts say shows UK firms are being bought on the cheapShares in easyJet surged nearly 10% after the airline agreed to a 5.5bn takeover at the fifth attempt, but analysts said that it showed UK firms were being bought on the cheap.The low-cost carrier's board will recommend shareholders accept an offer price of 6.90 a share from Castlelake, a US private equity firm, after rejecting four previous bids of as little as 5.60 per share. EasyJet shares closed at 610p on Monday. Continue reading...
Reform UK leader claims he is victim of hit job' as parliamentary standards commissioner investigates 5m donationOn the subject of Andy Burnham, the Financial Times is running a story today saying the access talks his team is holding with senior civil servants, intended to help Whitehall departments get ready to implement the new PM's policy agenda, are being hindered by the fact that Burnham has not decided who will do the top cabinet jobs.In the story, Lucy Fisher, George Parker and Anna Gross say:Talks have not yet formally started with the Treasury and Burnham's refusal to nominate a chancellor has complicated transition planning.One Labour figure complained Burnham's operation was skeletal", adding: Access talks require a shadow cabinet. Burnham needs to nominate key people in advance or he cannot have meaningful talks" ....Yes. And look - I'm not going to go into what we discussed privately, but everything I've seen from Andy publicly suggests that he knows that welfare reform is absolutely necessary ... [because] it's fundamentally about the life chances of a whole generation of young people.And if we think the best option and best opportunity that we can gift as a country to a generation of young people is a life on benefits - are we serious?My sense is that the appetite, both within the parliamentary Labour party and the new administration, will be absolutely up for doing this.One of those is how we support young people. I will not defend an education system that is overly focused on the university route and does not lay out paths to technical qualifications for our young people. Too many young people get to year 10 at school, and they can't see where school is taking them, because the system isn't focusing on those young people.And then, at 16, I believe we need the guarantee of a work placement for 16 to 18-year-olds, apprenticeships for every 16 to 18-year-old who wants one, and what I've done in Great Manchester is something that might be looked at more broadly, free bus travel for 16 to 18-year-olds, so that they can access those opportunities. Continue reading...
by Tess McClure in Kyiv and Peter Beaumont on (#76SG5)
Zelenskyy calls for strong decisions' at talks after attack on Kyiv and surrounding region exposes air defence gapsA wave of Russian missiles and drones has struck across Ukraine, killing 21 people, and heavily damaging apartment blocks and other buildings, in an attack on the eve of a Nato summit in Turkey that has exposed widening gaps in Ukraine's air defences.Fifteen people were killed in Kyiv, Russia's main target, and 56 others were injured in the attacks early on Monday, according to the city's administrative head, Tymur Tkachenko. Continue reading...
Ukraine's president makes plea ahead of summit this week in Ankara where he is due to meet Trump on the sidelinesMeanwhile, the UK has just sanctioned Russian actors involved in researching, developing and producing the novichok nerve agent and the lethal toxic Epibatidine, used in the Salisbury attack and the poisoning of Alexei Navalny.Among those sanctions are SC Signal, a Russian state scientific research institute, as well as three individuals researching novichok and Epibatidine.Russia's repeated use of chemical weapons is a sickening violation of international law and a direct threat to global security.From the use of novichok nerve agents in Salisbury to Epibatidine in Siberia, poisoning Dawn Sturgess and Alexei Navalny, Russia continues to use barbaric tools to inflict death and suffering on innocent civilians, including in Ukraine. Continue reading...
Arrival of endangered cats, including rare white cub, revitalises team straining under fuel and medicine shortagesFor the Cuban zookeeper Angel Cordero, the sight of four Bengal tiger cubs playing in a cage at the Cuban national zoo is a small miracle on an island stifled by shortages of fuel, medicine and days-long power outages.The birth of these endangered big cats - including an exceedingly rare white tiger - has revitalised a team of zoo workers, he said. Continue reading...
by Tom Ambrose (now) and Olivia Konotey-Ahulu (earlie on (#76SJ0)
Millions join funeral procession in capital of Tehran to mourn Khamenei who was kiled in US-Israel airstrikes in FebruaryLebanese state media said an Israeli strike on a car in the country's south on Monday killed four people, including three women, despite a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah.Lebanon's official National News Agency (NNA) said a school principal, her mother, a foreign female domestic worker and a male Syrian worker were killed when an Israeli drone targeted the car" they were travelling in as they returned from inspecting their family home in Nabatieh al-Fawqa. Continue reading...
Exclusive: Campaigners argue news channel's attacks on climate action work in financial interests' of Sir Paul MarshallThe hedge fund run by the co-owner of GB News almost tripled its investments in fossil fuel companies in the first quarter of 2026 to $2.8bn (2.1bn), the Guardian can reveal.Critics have accused Sir Paul Marshall of cashing in on climate chaos" and have claimed the news channel, which frequently attacks climate science and action, was working in its owner's financial interests". Continue reading...
More than 200 arrested in raids, comedian and journalists jailed, gay-friendly cruise turned away and protests bannedAuthorities in Turkey have widened a crackdown on public life, arresting more than 200 people during raids across Ankara last month, jailing a comedian and blocking a cruise ship carrying LGBTQ+ passengers from docking in the run-up to the Nato summit in the capital.The arrests followed a ban on demonstrations in Ankara that was put in place until 10 July. Human Rights Watch (HRW) said this was evidence of Turkey's ruthless intolerance of freedom of speech and assembly". The watchdog group said the Nato summit, which starts on Tuesday, was taking place in the context of intensifying violations of basic rights, including far-reaching restrictions on the main political opposition party, the media, and freedom of expression in general". Continue reading...
by Josh Butler and Dan Jervis-Bardy with agencies on (#76SGZ)
Launch comes just hours after Australia and Fiji sign defence agreement as expert says timing not a coincidenceChina has conducted a long-range missile test in the South Pacific just hours after Australia signed a defence agreement with Fiji, sparking condemnation from Canberra and regional leaders.The Australian foreign minister, Penny Wong, said the missile test was destabilising" to the region while her New Zealand counterpart, Winston Peters, described it as deeply concerning". Continue reading...
US telecom giant Comcast to snap up free-to-air TV channels and streaming platform to create UK's biggest commercial broadcasterSky has announced a long awaited 1.6bn deal to buy ITV's broadcasting and streaming arm to create the UK's biggest commercial broadcaster.Sky, which is owned by the US telecoms company Comcast, will pay 1.2bn in cash initially for ITV's media and entertainment business, which include its free-to-air TV channels in the UK and ITVX streaming platform. It has agreed to pay a further up to 200m in the second half of 2028, depending on 2027 advertising revenues. Continue reading...
Exclusive: National Housing Federation says ending quotas for developers could cost 32,000 homes over 10 yearsHalf of all affordable housing supply in rural England could be under threat under plans being considered by ministers to relax regulations for private housing developers, according to analysis.The government has proposed ending affordable housing quotas - known as section 106 agreements - for new developments of between 10 and 49 houses in an effort to jumpstart sluggish housebuilding rates. Ministers are due to make a final decision within weeks on whether developers should be allowed to make cash payments to local authorities instead. Continue reading...
by Graham Readfearn Environment and climate correspon on (#76SG7)
Organisation says objects consistent with debris from a foreign rocket body that recently re-entered the atmosphere'The Australian Space Agency has said the six so-called space balls" found in north Queensland were likely from a foreign rocket body" that had recently re-entered the atmosphere after being in orbit.The six mysterious objects were found by the public washed ashore in the Forrest Beach area, north of Townsville, on Friday, Saturday and Sunday and were suspected of containing hazardous chemicals. Continue reading...
Kyiv offers expertise on how to develop radar systems and ground stations as it turns from buyer to security providerUkraine hopes to sign major defence deals with at least seven Nato countries by the end of the year, according to a top official, highlighting a new aspect of Kyiv's foreign policy intended to show it can be a provider as well as a recipient of military hardware and expertise.Kyiv has signed drone deals" with six countries in recent months. Three are Middle Eastern states, who became eager for Ukrainian support after being targeted with Iranian long-range Shahed drones after the US-Israeli war on Iran began in spring. These are the same weapons that have targeted Ukrainian cities relentlessly over the past four years. Azerbaijan has also signed an agreement with Kyiv, as well as the Nato members Latvia and Lithuania. Continue reading...
by Vikram Dodd Police and crime correspondent on (#76SD4)
Inquiry co-chaired by David Blunkett uncovers loss of focus on fighting crime, plus low standards and need for reformPolice leadership in England and Wales is plagued by nepotism and bias" and too many chiefs have lost focus on fighting crime, a government-backed report has found.The inquiry, co-chaired by former home secretary David Blunkett, found a reset was needed at all levels, with scores of top officers facing misconduct inquiries. Continue reading...
Measures to be announced to make funding more transparent amid new revelations about Reform UK leaderMinisters will launch a crackdown on large political donations on Monday, as Nigel Farage faces a possible second investigation into gifts he received from a convicted fraudster before becoming an MP.The government will announce a series of measures to make political funding more transparent, including restrictions on donations from foreign-based benefactors. Continue reading...
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