World news | The Guardian

Temperatures expected to hit 40C in parts of the UK, as extreme heatwave spreads slowly eastwards, sparking warnings in Italy and the Netherlands

Chief secretary to PM rules out leadership bid as he says he has received reassurances from BurnhamHere are some more extracts from Darren Jones' interview with Beth Rigby from Sky News. Jones spoke to Andy Burnham on Monday seeking reassurance about his economic plans, and the interview is interesting because Jones, a fiscal hawk in Labour terms, came away satisfied by what he was told. (See 9.46am.)But Jones would not go as far as saying he wanted to see Ed Miliband, the energy secretary, as the next chancellor. Miliband is thought to be Burnham's preferred option. But Burnham is under pressure from the Tories and the rightwing press (eg today's Mail splash) who are trying to convince the public that Miliband is some sort of fiscally irresponsible, far-left version of Liz Truss (he isn't) and that appointing Miliband would ruin the government's economic credibility.We all want to build more council houses. We want to see more control over public utilities. We want to be able to devolve more, to get more development and investment in infrastructure in and around the country. But there is a route to doing that in line with the fiscal rules, in a way which continues economic stability as opposed to moving too quickly. And just saying you're going to borrow lots of extra money - because the risk of doing that - borrowing isn't free. I mean, if you just say you're going to borrow lots of extra money, you could probably sell the debt. But it's increasingly expensive, and it means you take money away from doctors and nurses and police officers of the armed forces in order to pay debt interest payments, predominantly now to American hedge funds.I think there's room to borrow a little bit more, and there's room to do things in a different way. So let me give you an example. We all want to see more council houses built. You could just say I'm going to borrow tens of billions of pounds, put it into Homes England will give it to councils and say build. That's just not going to work. Because the problem is that we don't have enough builders, we don't have enough bricks, and we can't plug these things into the electricity grid. So I'm all for investing into new towns and mayoral development corporations that give apprenticeship opportunities, that support British business, that can help fix our energy system. But you can do that without kind of broad brush borrowing and spending, which actually doesn't really deliver the outcomes that you want to achieve.I think he does. And I think the people around him do. And I think it's important he's committed to those fiscal rules.I'm not going to get into personalities, but maybe I can answer that by saying what I think the tests are for who should be chancellor. I think the next chancellor needs to be able to have a clear view about the political economy and understand how the Treasury works. I think they need to have an important relationship with the prime minister, because, quite frankly, in many circumstances, the chancellor in the Treasury is more powerful than the prime minister in Downing Street. So you have to have someone that's going to enable the delivery of the prime minister's priorities and not not try to control the prime minister. And that relationship is really critical. And you also need a chancellor that can reassure the markets, reassure the trade unions and reassure the parliamentary Labour Party and by extension the public.It has emerged that Burnham will appoint James Purnell, who served in cabinet with him under Gordon Brown, as his chief of staff. Here is our story, by Kiran Stacey and Jessica Elgot. Continue reading...

Analysis by more than 150 political scientists finds proportion who back such parties has increased nearly fivefold since 1995Almost one in four voters in Europe now cast their ballot for far-right parties, research shows, a proportion that has grown nearly fivefold since the mid-1990s and climbed particularly steeply over the past three years.Analysis by more than 150 political scientists in 31 countries found the proportion of Europeans voting for a far-right party in their country's most recent national elections had risen to more than 23%, from about 10% a decade ago and roughly 5% in 1995. Continue reading...

Opponents seize on Farrer MP David Farley's decision to vote alongside teals and Greens to wind back fuel tax credits for miners, farmers and others

Tony Abbott says he has lost a good friend as NSW opposition leader pays tribute to force of nature'The former Liberal heavyweight Teena McQueen is being remembered for her contribution to the party despite her defection to One Nation.McQueen, who served as the federal Liberal party vice-president from 2017 to 2023, died on Wednesday after battling severe sickness. Continue reading...

An additional case is suspected in Western Australia, which would bring the total number of bird flu infections to four

Neso issues rare summer warning for Wednesday evening, as households turn on fans and air conditioningGreat Britain's grid operator has released a rare summer power supply warning for Wednesday evening as the heatwave is expected to get more intense, putting pressure on the energy system.The National Energy System Operator (Neso) issued an electricity margin notice late on Tuesday, asking power plant owners to provide any extra electricity, as the buffer between supply and expected demand comes under pressure. Continue reading...

This blog is now closed

I love you,' Leah Stewart told her mother and partner after coming out of a coma on Tuesday

British disinfectant brand withdraws advert about a man's efforts to find a clean and untouched' womanThe British hygiene brand Dettol has apologised after an advertisement released in China, which it said was intended to criticise toxic men", was widely condemned on social media as offensive to women.The five-minute advert for a multipurpose disinfectant, released across many online platforms at the end of May, features a man comparing his girlfriend with his former partner. Learning that his former girlfriend had previously lived with someone else, the man likens their relationship to a secondhand service". He then tells his friends that he intends to find a clean and untouched" woman with whom he can be the first sexual partner. Continue reading...

LGBTQ+ support service says men from countries where homosexuality is illegal are targeted for attacks via dating apps

Investigators said one of the teenagers who allegedly opened fire on students at a high school had regularly used the GoreBox gaming appPhilippine authorities have temporarily blocked the online gaming app GoreBox days after a rare school shooting in the south-east Asian nation killed three students and injured 20 others.Investigators said that of the two teenagers accused of opening fire on students at San Jose National high school in Tacloban city, one had regularly played the game, which allows players to use various weapons and depicts graphic violence. Continue reading...

In today's newsletter: As heatwaves intensify, Britain's ecosystems are being pushed beyond their evolutionary limitsOur green and pleasant land is sizzling. This week, millions of us across the UK are baking in unprecedented heat. The Met Office has issued a rare red weather warning from 9am today in parts of southern Wales, and central and southern England. The temperature record for June of 35.6C is almost certain to be broken; Bristol is forecast to hit an alarming 39C tomorrow.In the heat, the country's infrastructure is straining: millions of homes are overheating, rail operators have warned against all but essential travel, and hospital admissions are set to surge. The Climate Change Committee concluded last month the UK is built for a climate that no longer exists - and warned today on the country's policies towards achieving net zero.UK news | Searing heat has swept the UK with schools, hospitals, transport networks and water companies struggling to cope with the extreme temperatures caused by climate breakdown.UK politics | Keir Starmer has met Andy Burnham for the first time since the Makerfield byelection in what sources said was a frosty" meeting to thrash out a transition of power.US news | Marco Rubio is to meet Gulf allies in an attempt to reassure them that the US remains committed to their security and the 60-day ceasefire deal struck with Iran last week will not embolden Tehran.Europe news | Forty people have drowned while swimming in unsupervised areas across France in recent days, as people across the country sought respite from a record-breaking heatwave.UK politics | Nigel Farage has said his 5m gift from a crypto billionaire is not any of your business" as it was given unconditionally to be spent on anything from Ferraris to gambling on horses. Continue reading...

Party colleagues concerned opposition leader was missing an opportunity to differentiate Coalition from One Nation

Row over landmark' development in Stirchley has left people homeless and put businesses at risk, say localsA housing development in Birmingham, touted as a model for community-owned housing in the UK, is at serious risk of collapse" due to a dispute over construction costs.The Stirchley Cooperative Development (SCD), which was founded by local residents and businesses in Birmingham in 2016, was meant to provide 39 affordable and landlord-free homes owned and run by the people who live and work there by 2024. Continue reading...

Sharon Graham is urged to withdraw her claim that the energy secretary would cost jobs if he became chancellorMore than 40 progressive economists have written to Sharon Graham, the leader of Unite, rejecting her claim that Ed Miliband would destroy jobs if he becomes the next chancellor.With Andy Burnham almost certain to be prime minister within weeks, there is a fierce debate within Labour about who should succeed Rachel Reeves at the Treasury, with Miliband considered a frontrunner. Continue reading...

Many buildings are in use past their predicted lifespans, but even newer designs lack measures to beat heatTo see the UK's failure to plan for the impacts of climate crisis, look no further than Beaconsfield primary school in west London - where a building more than 100 years old copes with extreme temperatures better than its neighbour, built less than 10 years ago.I've got two buildings on my site - the older building is a Victorian-Edwardian-style building. It's roughly 130 years old. That building is constructed with solid brickwork, very thick walls. It stays warm in winter and in summer it tends to keep the heat out so it is cooler inside. Even this week it's starting to get uncomfortable but it's still tolerable," said Dave Woods, Beaconsfield's headteacher. Continue reading...

Matriarchal groups in east and west exhibit distinct click patterns, used to form social structuresFrom Howdy" to G'day", English - like other languages - is rich in dialects. Now researchers have found sperm whales on different sides of the Mediterranean show similar variations in their vocalisations.Sperm whales communicate vocally using sequences of short clicks called codas. However, the rhythmic pattern of these clicks, known as the dialect, can differ between different matriarchal groups. Continue reading...

Church marks 300 years with exhibition and online archive telling of UK's first Black voters, and history of compassion and protestFrom a family of chimney sweeps including one of Britain's two earliest documented Black voters, to the mystery of a 19-year-old youth believed enslaved, St Martin-in-the-Fields church on Trafalgar Square still has secrets to share as it marks its 300th anniversary.Standing at the heart of London's political and cultural life for three centuries, its ranks of engraved memorial stones set into the floor and walls of the crypt and cafe are yielding glimpses into long-forgotten lives of ordinary Londoners. Continue reading...

Autobiographical work Free Me aims to encourage victims to speak out in country where violence against women is risingThere are audible gasps in the auditorium in Nairobi as a husband launches a volley of blows and slaps on his wife and pushes her to the floor. I wish I could spare you this," the wife tells the audience. My husband beat me up as if we were in a bar fight. Except, in a bar someone fights back."The scene comes from Free Me, an autobiographical play by Gathoni Kimuyu, a Kenyan theatre and TV producer who lived through an abusive marriage. Continue reading...

Jane Allan's winning Darling portrait prize painting has raised eyebrows after her Doyles art award piece was compared to artist Nicholas HardingAn Australian painter was clearly influenced" by New York artist Jean-Michel Basquiat in a major prize-winning work, according to the National Portrait Gallery, after she was accused of winning a separate $20,000 prize with an imitation" of a Nicholas Harding piece.The National Portrait Gallery has declined to comment further on the marked similarities between a 1982 work by Basquiat, Untitled (Two Heads on Gold), and a work by Lennox Head artist Jane Allan, titled Weight of the Mind's Periapt. Continue reading...

Christian Miles berated Oklahoma state troopers near Washington DC landmark subject to botched renovationA Washington DC resident arrested this week near the National Mall's reflecting pool told the Guardian he planned to fight the charges, as Donald Trump continues to blame vandals for the botched renovation of the pool.After the Trump administration spent $14.2m renovating thebody of water in front of the Lincoln Memorial to turn it American flag" blue in time for the US's 250th birthday next month, the pool has been beset with algae blooms and peeling polyurethane liner. Trump has claimed, without evidence, that the pool had been slashed with a knife. Continue reading...

Climate Change Committee chair Nigel Topping says U-turns damage investor confidence and disrupt businessesWeakening the UK's net zero policy would disrupt business and damage the economy, the UK's chief climate adviser has warned.Nigel Topping, chair of the Climate Change Committee (CCC), said: The U-turns are really damaging to inward investor confidence. If we really want to grow the economy, then investing and getting good at building stuff is essential." Continue reading...

UK regulator has increased its scrutiny of fashion retailers over potentially misleading environmental statementsAds for Calvin Klein, Adidas and Uniqlo promoting recycled" clothing and shoes have been banned by the UK watchdog after the advertisers were unable to prove their green claims.Each of the fashion companies ran paid-for Google ads, with Adidas promoting recycled running shoes", Calvin Klein recycled" tops for women, and Uniqlo advertised fleece coats and jackets made from recycled materials". Continue reading...

However, Imperial College team also find that pollution has worse health impact than previously understoodDeaths linked to air pollution fell by an estimated 40% in London over the five years from 2019, according to new analysis.The city's mayor, Sadiq Khan, welcomed what he called overwhelming evidence" that his ultra-low emission zone was saving lives. Continue reading...

Airbus to inspect 15 Emirates and one Qantas plane after cracks found in structural wing beam of some jets

Decision is one of Makerfield MP's most significant since his Westminster return as he builds his team for governmentAndy Burnham has chosen his Blairite former colleague James Purnell as his chief of staff, the Guardian understands, as he begins to finalise his team for government.The Makerfield MP has picked his former cabinet colleague to be his right-hand man in Downing Street, in one of the most significant decisions he has made since returning to Westminster. Continue reading...

Customers report having to use cash at stores such as Tesco and to buy drinks due to outage at payments processor WorldPayShoppers reported problems with making card payments at British pubs and supermarkets on Tuesday after a power outage affected one of the world's largest payment processing platforms.Customers said contactless payments were not working at a number of stores including Tesco branches at a time when football fans were watching the World Cup group game between England and Ghana at pubs, screenings and restaurants. Continue reading...

Robinson says Pauline Hanson has carried on fighting' despite backlash in since-deleted episode of the Karl Stefanovic Show

Four Republicans joined Democrats to back a measure seeking to limit the US president's military authority

Excerpts of footage of response to incident earlier described as shocking' but review finds use of force justifiedA review of video footage that appeared to show South Yorkshire police officers shoving and drawing batons and stun guns on teenage girls has found the the use of force was proportionate, necessary, and justified to keep all involved safe".South Yorkshire police initially described the footage as appearing nothing short of shocking" but a review by its professional standards department found that while there is an opportunity for learning around de-escalation" the actions were appropriate. Continue reading...

The vehicle was using an automated driving feature at high speed and killed a 76-year-old woman standing in the home

Independent report says by aiming at children Israel is undermining capacity of Palestinian people to existIsrael continues to commit genocide by deliberately targeting Palestinian children in Gaza, an independent UN inquiry has found.The report by the UN independent international commission of inquiry examined violations against Palestinian children since the start of the war in Gaza, and said about 30% of the people killed by Israeli forces have been children. Continue reading...

Dan Jarvis, who took the role earlier this month, is said to have secured around one billion pounds more for the plan than his predecessorDan Jarvis, the new defence secretary, promised to publish the delayed defence investment plan (Dip) before the Nato summit in a fortnight amid indications he has already secured around a billion pounds more than his predecessor, John Healey.Haggling between the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and the Treasury is continuing - while a source in Andy Burnham's team said he was happy for a final deal to be concluded while Keir Starmer serves out his last days as prime minister. Continue reading...

Kemi Badenoch, who joined US anti-abortion activists and European far-right parties at ARC, described energy secretary as a villain'Britain's net zero policies and the energy secretary, Ed Miliband, have come under fire at a conference of conservatives, rightwing populists and wealthy US backers linked to Donald Trump.The energy policies pursued by the British government were described as a tragic mistake" by Trump's energy secretary, one of a number of officials from the US administration attending the event. Continue reading...

Great Britain has paid at least six times the normal price for imported power as millions turn on air conditioning and windfarm output sagsThe heatwave has prompted a sharp rise in electricity prices across European markets as millions turn to air conditioners and electric fans to battle record high temperatures, which have also caused a string of power plant outages across the continent.Great Britain imported electricity from Europe at more than six times the normal price on Tuesday as the high-pressure heat dome has slowed wind speeds, hitting renewable energy generation, and led to outages at multiple gas plants across the country. Continue reading...

US secretary of state seeks to reassure UAE, Kuwait and Bahrain over security and US-Iran ceasefire deal

Temperature on Tuesday hits high of 34.6C in Surrey, England, with heatwave forecast to get more intense on Wednesday and Thursday

It's 10 years since Brexit - and it's also another one of those weeks in British politics ... Guardian columnist Rafael Behr is online now answering your questions about Burnham, Starmer, Brexit and more.DyvimTvar asks: How do you think Burnham will deal with Trump? More of the same or will he be looking at the likely result of the midterm elections in the US?Raf: Burnham's foreign policy is very mysterious. He very rarely talks about the world beyond British shores, and has said quite explicitly that his focus is getting things right in this country". That worries me slightly. Foreign affairs dominated Starmer's diary for a reason and the world isn't going to calm down. My guess, and it is little more than a guess, is that once he gets the defence and security briefings that explain quite how reliant UK national security is on US institutional partnership (regardless of who the president is) he will respond pretty much exactly as Starmer did. And yes, the midterms will be crucial. A lame duck Trump could become much more volatile but also much more bogged down in running battles - even impeachment proceedings - with a hostile CongressRaf: 1: The defence and security partnership with the US is extremely tight and bundled very deep. Much of the UK's defence capacity really relies on the Pentagon. In this respect the special relationship" is hard-wired in. That isn't an argument for just sucking up to Trump regardless of what he does, but it does explain why Starmer had to tread very carefully indeed. There is a case for seeking much more strategic autonomy from Washington but that's a challenge to be met over a generation. Can't be done quickly and is very expensive.2: The fiscal rules thing is both more complex and simpler than often presented. Ultimately everyone involved, including the bond traders, know it is an artificial construct, but the rules do function as a commitment to recognise finite budget capacity, which matters. Yes, there are arguments for borrowing more to invest in the productive capacity that will generate more revenue in the future, through higher growth. By this mechanism, we should be able to loosen the reins a bit on the understanding that the benefits will accrue soon enough. Bond traders understand the macroeconomic logic of that argument but they don't necessarily trust the politicians to really be thinking about the long term. It could too easily sound like the chancellor is saying I want to borrow a load more money so I don't have to make hard spending/cuts choices in the run up to an election, but I promise I'll get it all sorted the moment after polling day." If you don't have credible revenue projections, the market is going to be very sceptical. As it was with Liz Truss. Ultimately the bond market is just the mechanism by which the UK government borrows money and, like any lender, it sets the terms according to how confident it is in the reliability of the borrower. The fiscal rules are a convenient badge of seriousness for a country that has, sadly, been rather too unserious in the recent past. Continue reading...

France records hottest ever day as much of Europe endures extreme heat; London is cooking,' says UN secretary general

Assailant behind shooting that left three people dead wrote incel'-like manifesto that was posted by a far-right outletPolice in Canada are warning of possible copycat attacks after three people died in a shootout in Montreal and the assailant's lengthy manifesto, which called for a new bloodletting", was posted online by a far-right outlet.The document contains many of the hallmark grievances of the involuntary celibacy" - or incel" - movement in addition racist and misogynistic conspiracy theories. Continue reading...

Treasury also promises new first-time buyer Isa with no upper age limit reflecting age at which a first home is bought is rising'Isa reforms announced on Tuesday promise a new first-time buyer account with no upper age limit, and a tax on interest on cash savings held in a stocks and shares wrapper.Savers and investors can currently hold up to 20,000 a year in Isas, which offer the chance to earn returns which are not subject to tax. Continue reading...

None of the injuries believed to be life-threatening after vehicle reportedly flipped on its side in collision on outskirts of KidwellySix people have been taken to hospital after a bus crash in west Wales, while 13 others were treated at the scene. None of the injuries are thought to be life-threatening.Dyfed-Powys police declared a major incident at lunchtime on Tuesday, which was stood down at 5.30pm. Continue reading...

High court hears identities of women accusing Andrew and Tristan Tate of rape withheld for fear they could be revealedAndrew and Tristan Tate are not being told the names of the women who have accused them of rape and human trafficking over fears the brothers might publish them on social media, the high court has heard.The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) authorised charges against the Tates in March 2024 in relation to the women's allegations but their accusers' identities have not been disclosed to the brothers or their representatives. The Tates have denied any wrongdoing. Continue reading...

Prime minister said to have left Downing Street for secret meeting with his probable successor

The late night host slammed the US peace deal with Iran, discussed JD Vance's snub by leaders and the Mountain Dew green' reflecting poolOn Monday night, Jon Stewart addressed Donald Trump turning DC's reflecting pool Mountain Dew green", his blundered Iran peace deal and wasting US taxpayer money. Continue reading...

Recommendations from commission propose gradual rise in retirement age by the early 2090s

Local council secures high court injunction against four leaders of Raise the Colours campaign and persons unknown'Leaders of the nationalist group Raise the Colours have agreed to stop hoisting England flags on lamp-posts in Oxfordshire after the local authority secured a high court injunction against the campaign.Ryan Bridge, Ben Cullen and Trudy Wells told the high court on Tuesday they would not raise St George's flags from Oxfordshire county council property, encourage others to do so or impede council workers from taking them down. Continue reading...

Michel Barnier says UK could also join a new European security and defence councilWhoever becomes the next UK prime minister will have plenty of political space to move closer to Europe, polling expert John Curtice has said.His comments come as many domestically and in Europe begin to question whether the potential future British prime minister will move further away or closer to the EU than Keir Starmer.Labour's vote is something like three-quarters to four-fifths pro-Rejoin [the EU] vote.

US president says Tehran has committed to nuclear honesty', while Iran's foreign ministry says there are no plans for IAEA to inspect sites bombed by US and Israel last yearOman and Iran said in a statement that the two countries will form a team to reach an agreement on administration of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz" and associated costs and services, Reuters reports.The two states will hold talks with coastal countries and other concerned parties, the statement said. Continue reading...