World news | The Guardian

Third of councils affected by overhaul from two-tier to unitary authorities ask for postponement

Newly-appointed Malcolm Offord, who became a Tory life peer in 2021, plans to stand for Holyrood in May

$1.6m project drew outrage over ethical questions about withholding vaccines proven to prevent diseaseThe controversial US-funded study on hepatitis B vaccines among newborns in Guinea-Bissau has been halted, according to Yap Boum, a senior official at the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).The study has been cancelled," Boum told journalists at a press conference on Thursday morning. Continue reading...

I have sacked Robert Jenrick from the shadow cabinet, removed the whip and suspended his party membership with immediate effect,' Tory leader says

Letters sent using campaign group's template as Keir Starmer indicates Australia-style move being consideredMPs' inboxes have been flooded with letters calling for an Australia-style social media ban for under-16s, as the prime minister indicated such a move was being considered.More than 100,000 people have contacted their local MP since the grassroots organisation Smartphone Free Childhood launched an email campaign on Tuesday evening with a template calling for reasonable, age-appropriate boundaries". Continue reading...

G7 members remain prepared to impose additional restrictive measures if Iran continues to crack down on protests and dissent'Trump has told Reuters in that Iranian opposition figure Reza Pahlavi seems very nice" but expressed uncertainty over whether Pahlavi would be able to muster support within Iran to eventually take over.Trump said it is possible the government in Tehran could fall due to the protests, but that in truth any regime can fail". Continue reading...

US president says he will use law that allows military to be deployed domestically if protests in Minneapolis do not stopDonald Trump is in Washington today. He's due to meet with Maria Corina Machado - Venezuela's opposition leader - at 12:3opm ET. At the moment that's closed to the press but we'll let you know if that changes and bring you the latest.Later, Trump is set to host the champions of the 2025 Stanley Cup, the Florida Panthers, at the White House. We'll be watching to get his reaction to the news of the day. Continue reading...

Protests continue across state and governor urges peace one week after an ICE agent shot and killed Renee GoodDonald Trump threatened on Thursday to invoke the Insurrection Act in Minnesota in response to protests in Minneapolis against federal immigration enforcement operations, as Minnesota's governor, Tim Walz, overnight urged demonstrators in Minneapolis to be peaceful amid escalating tensions.In a post on Truth Social on Thursday morning, Trump said he would institute the Insurrection Act and quickly put an end to the travesty that is taking place" in Minnesota if the corrupt politicians of Minnesota don't obey the law and stop the professional agitators and insurrectionists from attacking the Patriots of ICE". Continue reading...

Conservative leader says she had irrefutable evidence' shadow justice secretary was plotting to defect in most damaging way

Presenter wants to unleash my inner entrepreneur' in creator economy but will still host University ChallengeThe presenter Amol Rajan is to leave BBC Radio 4's Today programme, revealing he will unleash my inner entrepreneur" by creating a company focusing on the creator economy.In a surprise announcement, he said he would continue to host the BBC's University Challenge quizshow and make his Radical podcast with the corporation. Continue reading...

Congressional Budget Office analysis says renaming - which Congress must approve - would cost US taxpayers millionsRenaming the Department of Defense the Department of War could cost US taxpayers as much as $125m depending on how broadly and quickly the change is made, according to an analysis released Wednesday from the Congressional Budget Office.Donald Trump signed an executive order in September that authorized the Department of War as a secondary title for the Pentagon. At the time, Trump said the switch was intended to signal to the world that the US was a force to be reckoned with, and he complained that the Department of Defense's name was woke". Continue reading...

Minister says West Midlands chief misled MPs and public and he will be horrified' if he does not resign by end of day

Moscow alleges unnamed diplomat is affiliated with the British secret service' as it gives them two weeks to leaveA British diplomat has been expelled from Russia after being accused of being a spy.The diplomat, who was not named, has two weeks to leave the country, the Russian foreign ministry said, after it received information regarding the affiliation of a diplomatic employee at the embassy with the British secret service". Continue reading...

Woman camping at flooded Wye River with her daughters says it's just heartbreaking, strangers are hugging strangers'

United Nations says man experienced serious violence' in detention but Australia argues it did not control PNG facilities

US president says important sources' told him executions are not going ahead. This live blog is now closed - our new blog is hereFor the first time in days, Iranians were able to make calls abroad from their mobiles on Tuesday, according to reporting by Associated Press. Texting services have not been restored, however, and nor has the internet.Although Iranians were able to call abroad, they could not receive calls from outside the country, several people in the capital told Associated Press. The internet remained blocked, they said, though it is possible to access some government-approved websites.

Police believe no one hurt but urge public not to pick up explosive devices and say more may be found

Items worth 59.7m allocated to museums, galleries, libraries and archives as part of Arts Council England schemeWinston Churchill and Benjamin Disraeli's desk, a painting by Vanessa Bell and a rare artwork by Edgar Degas are among the items of cultural importance saved for the nation this year.The items, worth a total of 59.7m, will be allocated to museums, galleries, libraries and archives around the UK as part of Art Council England's cultural gifts and acceptance in lieu schemes. Continue reading...

Royal College of Nursing publishes dossier of evidence including case of elderly patient who choked to death in corridorCorridor care is a type of torture" that is leading to patients dying and causing NHS staff to have nightmares, the UK's nurses union has warned.In one case, an elderly patient choked to death in a corridor, unseen by staff, according to a new dossier of evidence highlighting the problem published by the Royal College of Nursing (RCN). Continue reading...

Tehran closes its airspace to almost all flights after threatening to strike US bases in Middle East if it carries out pledge to intervene in Iran

Ynyshir's Gareth Ward not embarrassed' by score and says it was due to concerns about the use of raw ingredientsThe chef behind a Welsh restaurant with two Michelin stars says it has the highest standards in the world", despite being given a one-star hygiene rating in a recent inspection.Ynyshir, a restaurant with rooms near Machynlleth on the southern edge of the Eryri national park, has been praised as one of the best in the world. Continue reading...

Family stayed up until dawn waiting for news of Erfan Soltani who was due to be executed on Wednesday

AI tool made by Elon Musk's xAI makes it easy to harass women with deepfake images, says state's top attorneyCalifornia authorities have announced an investigation into the output of Elon Musk's Grok.The state's top attorney said Grok, an AI tool and image generator made by Musk's company xAI, appears to be making it easy to harass women and girls with deepfake images on X and elsewhere online. Continue reading...

Apparent suicide of Alexei Panov comes after disappearance of oligarch Vladislav Baumgertner and amid corruption scandal

Loan will be repaid only if Moscow pays reparations and plan to use Russia's frozen assets still on table

Exclusive: Discovery comes amid growing concern over lax regulation and children being put at risk by rogue operatorsCircumcision kits have been found on sale on Amazon UK, highlighting lax regulation as concerns grow about deaths and serious harms to baby boys.In December, a UK coroner issued warnings about insufficient circumcision regulation after the death in 2023 of a six-month-old boy, Mohamed Abdisamad, from a streptococcus infection. Continue reading...

Greystanes man Greg Tait, 43, did not enter a plea and told the court he is seeking legal advice

Protests began over the fall in value of the currency have grown into wider demonstrations and calls for the fall of Iran's clerical establishment

Yoon is on trial for insurrection charges, after trying to declare martial law in late 2024South Korean prosecutors have demanded the death penalty for former president Yoon Suk Yeol over his failed martial law declaration in December 2024, in the first insurrection trial of a Korean head of state in three decades.Prosecutors characterised the case as the serious destruction of constitutional order by anti-state forces", telling Seoul central district court that Yoon had directly and fundamentally infringed upon the safety of the state and the survival and freedom of the people". Continue reading...

Plan will start with TransPennine upgrade with new line connecting Liverpool and Manchester in second phaseLong-awaited plans for better railways across the north of England have been given government backing with an undertaking to reverse years of chronic underinvestment" by spending up to 45bn building Northern Powerhouse Rail.Just over 1bn has been allocated to work up a detailed three-stage plan to connect cities from Liverpool to Newcastle, which could fulfil most of the demands of northern leaders, in a series of long-term projects. Continue reading...

Police apologise after it took almost seven years for man to be charged and he died months before trial had been dueA woman who was raped by her father as a child has told how he died before standing trial after she endured almost nine years of police and court delays.Rachel believes she was robbed of justice by the excessively long police investigation, which left her feeling suicidal. She waited almost seven years for her father to be charged with abusing her and a second person. His trial was postponed due to a barristers' strike and he died six months before facing justice.Information and support for anyone affected by rape or sexual abuse issues is available from the following organisations. In the UK, Rape Crisis offers support on 0808 500 2222 in England and Wales, 0808 801 0302 in Scotland, or 0800 0246 991 in Northern Ireland. In the US, Rainn offers support on 800-656-4673. In Australia, support is available at 1800Respect (1800 737 732). Other international helplines can be found at ibiblio.org/rcip/internl.html. Continue reading...

Broadcaster's submission calls on Florida court to throw out defamation case where US president is suing over editing of 6 January 2021 speechThe BBC is to attempt to have Donald Trump's $10bn defamation lawsuit over the editing of a speech for Panorama thrown out, according to court documents.The broadcaster faced criticism for airing an episode of the investigative documentary series that featured an edited clip of Trump's address to a rally on 6 January 2021, which it is alleged gave the impression he encouraged supporters to storm the Capitol building in Washington DC. Continue reading...

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Almost all remaining festival board members have resigned after backlash to decision to disinvite the Palestinian Australian author

In today's newsletter: A researcher with a focus on the region explains what's behind deadly nationwide demonstrations and what a hardening of public opinion against the state might bringGood morning. At least 648 people have been killed by Iran's security services during nationwide demonstrations, with more than 10,600 arrested. The unrest is widely seen as the most serious challenge to Iran's Islamic Republic in recent years.People took to the streets for reasons ranging from rising economic hardship to long-simmering anger over political repression and civil rights. Together, they represent a hardening of public opinion against the state.Iran | Donald Trump is unafraid to use military force on Iran", the White House said on Monday as the regime faced continued unrest across the country. The Iranian foreign minister claimed protests were under total control".Neurodiversity | The NHS is overspending by 164m a year on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) services, with an increasing amount going to unregulated private assessments that can be unreliable, a Guardian investigation has found.Elon Musk | The UK media watchdog has opened a formal investigation into Elon Musk's X over the use of the Grok AI tool to manipulate images of women and children by removing their clothes.UK politics | Nadhim Zahawi was rejected for a peerage by the Conservatives just weeks before he defected to Reform UK, Tory sources have told the Guardian. Zahawi was announced on Monday as Reform's newest recruit despite having claimed Nigel Farage made offensive and racist" comments about him.Sovereignty | Chinese officials have been pushing legal advice" on European countries, saying their own border laws require them to ban entry to Taiwanese politicians, according to more than half a dozen diplomats and officials familiar with the matter. Continue reading...

Neo-Nazi group the National Socialist Network claims it will disband before hate speech legislation is introduced to parliament on Monday

Paris trial's outcome will determine whether leader of far-right National Rally can run for French presidency in 2027The French far-right party leader Marine Le Pen will face a fresh trial on appeal on Tuesday over the embezzlement of European parliament funds in a case that will determine whether or not she can run in the 2027 presidential election.Le Pen, 57, who leads the far-right, anti-immigration National Rally (RN), was considered to be a contender for next year's election until she was barred from running for public office last March after being found guilty of an extensive and long-running fake jobs scam. Continue reading...

Delhi is world's second largest purchaser of Russian crude, which is now cheaper than oil from Middle EastRussia is already working to circumvent the latest US sanctions to ensure India can continue to import high levels of cheap Russian crude oil, according to industry analysts.Since the outbreak of the Ukraine war, India has become the world's second largest purchaser of Russian crude oil, which has been heavily discounted due to the impact of western sanctions. Continue reading...

Wild success of television series drives huge demand for Game Changers novels, with Australian booksellers reporting significant customer ordersA seventh book in Rachel Reid's gay romance series that inspired the TV drama Heated Rivalry will be out later this year but Australian fans are still struggling to get their hands on a physical copy of any of the preceding six books.Unrivalled, the next instalment in the Canadian author's Game Changers series, will be released internationally on 29 September, the publisher HarperCollins announced on Tuesday. Continue reading...

Police say the boy is part of an alleged decentralised online crime network falsely claiming mass shootings are taking place

Exclusive: Chinese officials are using a highly specific' interpretation of EU rules to suggest Taiwanese figures should not be granted visas, officials sayChinese officials have been pushing legal advice" on European countries, saying their own border laws require them to ban entry to Taiwanese politicians, according to more than half a dozen diplomats and officials familiar with the matter.The officials made demarches to European embassies in Beijing, or through local embassies directly to European governments in their capital cities, warning the European countries not to trample on China's red lines", according to the European diplomats and ministries who spoke to the Guardian. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Writing for Guardian Australia, Adler says she cannot be party to silencing writers' after Adelaide festival board cancelled Randa Abdel-Fattah's invitation to appear

Self-governing island stresses it is member of Nato, which is looking at improving Arctic defences, through DenmarkGreenland's government has said it cannot under any circumstances accept" Donald Trump's desire to take control of Greenland, as Nato's secretary general, Mark Rutte, said the organisation was working on ways to bolster Arctic security.At the start of a critical week for the vast Arctic island, a largely self-governing part of Denmark, the US president restated his interest in the strategically located, mineral-rich territory, saying the US would take it one way or the other". Continue reading...

Former ambassador to US had earlier declined to give apology for keeping in touch with sex offender after his convictionPeter Mandelson has issued an apology for his association with the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein - after declining to do so in an interview broadcast on Sunday.The Labour peer, who was sacked as US ambassador when details of his support for Epstein emerged in September, gave an interview to the BBC in which he suggested that as a gay man he knew nothing of the disgraced financier's sex life. Continue reading...

Ructions within festival board over Palestinian-Australian academic's inclusion began in October, email reveals

Prime minister tells parliamentary party that being in the room' for trade and defence talks will boost UK economyKeir Starmer has defended his frequent trips out of the country to Labour MPs, attempting to draw a direct link with the cost of living at home, which he warned would not be solved by isolationism.The prime minister told the meeting of the parliamentary Labour party (PLP) on Monday night that it was essential for him to be in the room" for international negotiations on trade and defence, which would then have an impact on the domestic economy. Continue reading...

Incriminating video, dismissed by officials as a hybrid attack' has forced resignations of Nikos Christodoulides's wife and chief of staffThe Cypriot president, Nikos Christodoulides, has said he has nothing to fear" over a scandal that has forced the resignations of his chief of staff and his wife from a leadership role of a major charity.As allegations of high-level corruption swirled days after the island assumed the rotating EU presidency, officials insisted the country had been the victim of hybrid warfare". The incriminating claims, implicating the president and first lady in a cash for access network, were made in a video uploaded on X. Continue reading...

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Nadhim Zahawi's ministerial experience is badly needed by Nigel Farage but it comes with his former party's tainted brandIn the death throes of Boris Johnson's government in the summer of 2022, Nadhim Zahawi was appointed chancellor by an increasingly desperate prime minister determined to cling on to power.The vacancy arose after Rishi Sunak, who had led the Treasury for more than two years, quit saying he no longer had confidence in Johnson to lead the country, setting off - with others - a string of high-profile desertions. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Dutch police question claims used by West Midlands force in evidence to inquiryDutch police have questioned the credibility of claims used by British officers to justify excluding Israeli fans from a football match in Birmingham in their testimony to an official inquiry.Maccabi Tel Aviv fans were banned from the Europa League game against Aston Villa in November by a Birmingham safety committee following intelligence from West Midlands police. Continue reading...