World news | The Guardian

Wave of almost 600 drones launched across 14 regions, after Moscow's deadly three-day attack on Ukraine last weekAt least four people have been killed in a large-scale retaliatory strike by Ukraine on Russia's regions, including Moscow, the Russian authorities have said.The wave of almost 600 Ukrainian drones struck overnight across 14 Russian regions, as well as the Crimean peninsula and the Black and Azov seas, the Russian defence ministry said on Sunday, with the region around the capital among the worst-hit. Continue reading...

Authorities previously suspended recovery operation for bodies of four divers believed to have died while exploring Vaavu Atoll caveDivers in the Maldives have resumed their search for the bodies of four Italian scuba divers who drowned while exploring a deep underwater cave.Due to rough weather on Friday, Maldivian authorities had temporarily suspended the high-risk operation to recover the bodies of the divers who, according to Italy's foreign ministry, had apparently died while attempting to explore caves at a depth of 50 metres (164ft)". Continue reading...

Move follows upsetting viral video of ray being manhandled into unmarked boat in Florida waters last yearWildlife officials in Florida will continue to allow threatened giant manta rays to be taken from the ocean, but have tightened their policies after a viral video showed a captured ray in severe distress, and a bipartisan group of politicians called for an end to the controversial practice.Members of the Florida fish and wildlife conservation commission (FWC) voted on Wednesday to adopt an amended final rule reserving the right to say when and where rays can be captured for responsible exhibition" in the US. Continue reading...

Ryan Nichols is the latest such person to face charges after he allegedly brandished a gun during an argumentThe number of president's supporters accused of committing new crimes after Donald Trump pardoned them for their roles in the 6 January 2021 US Capitol attack recently increased to at least five.Ryan Nichols, 35, became the latest such Capitol attacker on 10 May, when authorities in Harleton, Texas, say he threateningly displayed a handgun to a person with whom he was arguing in a church parking lot. Continue reading...

As Keir Starmer endures a slow ousting, his predecessor recalls the day in 2016 when colleagues tried to force him out - and assesses who might come nextYeah, I do feel [sorry for him]," said Jeremy Corbyn, with only a little hesitation. On a personal level it must be devastating. It is a horrible feeling. You suddenly realise that this person doesn't trust you at all and really doesn't wish you well at all, and you suddenly realise that any trust that was there actually disappears."There are few in politics who have had the experience of being the subject of a Labour party-style coup, the British equivalent of being dragged from your office to be put up against a wall. Letters of resignations from so-called political friends, condemnatory statements on social media, all dripped out for maximum effect with the end goal of pushing the target, once the subject of standing ovations and gushing plaudits, out on their tail. Continue reading...

Rent donations on GoFundMe up 60% since 2022, with 100,000 donors helping people keep a roof over their headsA record number of people in the UK are turning to crowdfunding to cover rent and household bills, with GoFundMe reporting more rent-related fundraisers were created in April than in any month on record.The platform said donations towards rent support had risen by 60% since 2022, with more than 100,000 people a month contributing to help others meet their housing costs. Continue reading...

As continent faces tough headwinds, leaders are bearing brunt of delivering bad news to frustrated electoratesPeople hate you," the adviser informed his leader. A think-piece in a daily newspaper noted that almost everyone agrees on one thing: they don't like him".The recent disastrous set of local election results in the UK built on Keir Starmer's longstanding reputational problem: only 11% of Britons believe he has been a good or great prime minister, and nearly 60% believe he has been poor or terrible, according to polling by YouGov. Continue reading...

Chaotic week in which enforcer of war on drugs' flees senate building leaves government looking incompetent'The wanted man outran security agents, rallied protesters and even serenaded the media with a military hymn. Then, after a sudden exchange of gunfire, the Philippines' most controversial lawmaker slipped out of the heavily guarded senate building in the middle of the night.Senator Ronald dela Rosa, who is wanted by the international criminal court for crimes against humanity, is now nowhere to be seen. Continue reading...

Property portfolio in spotlight as Reform UK leader faces official inquiry over money accepted from billionaireA week ago, Nigel Farage was toasting Reform UK's successes in the May elections, and bragging about his prospects of becoming prime minister.But there is a saying about a week in politics - and it has been a long seven days for the party leader, who is now facing questions over a 5m gift and his extensive property portfolio. Continue reading...

This blog is closing now, you can read more on this story hereLabour's deputy leader, Lucy Powell, has backed Andy Burnham's efforts to return to parliament, saying there will be no attempt to stop the Greater Manchester mayor from fighting an upcoming byelection in Makerfield.Speaking at a Fire Brigades Union conference in Coventry, she saidWe could have further to fall as a party and we absolutely need to come back together as one team, because we've got to take the fight to [Nigel] Farage. We are at real risk of Nigel Farage walking up Downing Street in a few years time, and we can't let that happen.But we've got to do our politics differently. We've got to end the factionalism. We've got to embrace all the different traditions of the Labour party, all the different voices, and bring one team back together. Continue reading...

Saffron Cole-Nottage became stuck headfirst and might have lived had ambulance service alerted fire service immediately, coroner saysA woman who drowned after getting stuck headfirst in sea defence rocks might have been saved if the ambulance service had alerted the fire service quicker, a coroner has said.Saffron Cole-Nottage, 32, was walking the family dog with her daughteron the seafront at Lowestoft, Suffolk, when she fell as the tide was coming in on 2 February 2025. Continue reading...

The film-maker, who won the Grand Prix for A Hero in 2021, condemned both the killing of protestors and the conflict's bombing campaigns during a Cannes press conferenceOscar-winning Iranian director Asghar Farhadi has described the deaths of civilians in Iran as extremely cruel and tragic" during a press conference at the Cannes film festival.Farhadi, whose new Paris-set drama Parallel Tales premiered on the Croisette on Thursday night, was asked about working free from censorship in France, the war involving Iran, the US and Israel, and the repression of protesters in his native country. Continue reading...

Andy Burnham may have a route back to Westminster - and a path to the Labour leadership. But first the Greater Manchester mayor must win a byelection in Makerfield, where Nigel Farage has vowed Reform UK will throw absolutely everything' at the contest.Lucy Hough speaks to the Guardian's north of England correspondent Hannah al-Othman, who has been talking to voters in the constituency Continue reading...

Lead singer Stuart Murdoch's self-deprecating It Only Takes One Lion is inspired by team's current song, Yes Sir, I Can BoogieThe lyrics came to Stuart Murdoch in the hazy aftermath of Scotland's dramatic qualification for the World Cup.The Belle and Sebastian frontman had watched his side's playoff victory over Denmark through his fingers before deciding to write his own anthem to a team he has followed for more than 50 years. Most people recognised instantly the next day that they'd witnessed the most important Scottish game ever," says Murdoch. That was our magic moment." Continue reading...

Group of MPs and peers in effect accuse government of failing to comply with parliament's will over release of filesA powerful parliamentary committee tasked with reviewing files relating to Peter Mandelson's appointment as US ambassador has revealed that the government is withholding his vetting file despite not having the authority to do so.In an extraordinary intervention, the intelligence and security committee (ISC) has criticised the government over its handling of the release of Mandelson-related papers and in effect accused ministers failing to comply with parliament's will. Continue reading...

Man arrested after admitting to taking relic from church and planning to throw it in river, say policeAn 800-year-old relic believed to be the skull of Saint Zdislava, stolen this week from a Czech church, has been recovered encased in concrete as experts work to extract it, police have said.A suspect has been arrested, who allegedly confessed to taking the skull of Saint Zdislava of Lemberk from a glass shrine in the basilica of St Lawrence and St Zdislava in the town of Jablonne v Podjetdi on Tuesday. Continue reading...

The Manchester City striker will feature in Viqueens, an animated film by director Harald Zwart, who described him as powerful, fearless and uniquely Norwegian'Manchester City striker Erling Haaland is to make his feature acting debut, in an animated film as the voice of a Viking - called Haaland.According to the Hollywood Reporter, the Norwegian international is to play an animated version of himself" in Viqueens, directed and co-written by Harald Zwart, the Dutch-Norwegian director of The Karate Kid and Agent Cody Banks. Continue reading...

Migrants are generally younger than the average Australian, are skilled and more educated. And they typically pay more tax than they receive in benefits

Port Kembla residents will likely resist base due to risk of nuclear accident and potential as target for military adversaries', documents state

Army supported by Russian mercenaries launches airstrikes after offensive by coalition of Islamist extremists and Tuareg separatistsMali's armed forces, supported by Russian mercenaries, have launched airstrikes targeting a rebel alliance of Islamist extremists and Tuareg separatists as the ruling junta struggles to maintain its hold on power in the unstable west African country.Earlier this week warplanes targeted the key northern town of Kidal, which was lost when the rebels launched a surprise offensive across much of Mali in late April. Continue reading...

Adam Kent suspended after Tory councillors joined forces with Greens and Lib Dems to end Reform's minority controlThe Conservatives have suspended the party's leader at Worcestershire county council after he made a deal with the Greens and Liberal Democrats to oust Reform.Reform UK gained control of the council a year ago but its tenure has been marked by a series of controversies and political infighting. This included a bitter leadership battle in which the now former Reform councillor Jo Monk was replaced as leader of the council in April. Continue reading...

US president hails fantastic' deals, but details remain scarce after pageantry and little progress at much-hyped summit with Xi

Redress to customers for force-fitting devices in homes includes 20m penalty and 70m of debt write-offsThousands of British Gas customers who had prepayment meters force-fitted in their homes will between them receive compensation and energy bill debt write-offs worth up to 112m in the biggest energy supplier settlement on record.Great Britain's energy regulator found that British Gas forced PPMs on homes that were not keeping up with their bills at the height of the Russian gas crisis, in one of the most complex investigations in Ofgem's history. Continue reading...

State oil company fast-tracks previously undisclosed project, which is expected to double export capacity

Exclusive: DHS made social media posts out of a protester's arrest at gunpoint. Christian Cerna speaks out about the lengthy prosecution that derailed his lifeChristian Cerna, 28, was driving with his partner and their two young children through Los Angeles, when two vehicles rammed his car and a group of men jumped out and trained their guns on them.It was 11 June 2025, and as Cerna exited his vehicle with his hands raised, he realized the masked men weren't street criminals as he initially feared. They were Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. Continue reading...

Record heat in North and Central America coincides with egg-sized hailstones in eastern ChinaExtreme weather across several parts of the world this week has brought record-breaking temperatures to Honduras, North America and Indonesia.Honduras smashed its all-time May maximum temperature record earlier this month - only for it to be broken again on 13 May in Choluteca, known as the furnace of Central America. Temperatures climbed to 42.2C (107.9F), surpassing the previous record of 42.1C. With intense heat forecast to persist over the coming weeks, more records are expected to fall. Continue reading...

Tube stoppages due on two 24-hour periods from midday on Tuesday and Thursday next week but sources say RMT seeking talksHopes have been raised that next week's strikes by London Underground drivers could yet be averted, after sources said the RMT union had put out feelers for talks.The RMT members, almost half of London's Tube drivers, are due to strike for two 24-hour periods from midday on Tuesday and Thursday, closing some lines entirely and bringing widespread travel disruption to the capital until the weekend. Continue reading...

Under aviation regulator proposals rival companies would bid to design and build parts of airport expansion

Home affairs minister Tony Burke says listing will stop group from organising and meeting, and may prevent more horrific bigoted rallies'

News will come as a shock to staff, especially at Cranfield, but the institutions' bosses say intention is growthThe announcement that King's College London is to absorb Cranfield University came as a surprise but not a shock to England's higher education leaders, who have been braced for sudden announcements about job cuts and course closures.But for staff and students at both institutions the news will have come as a shock, particularly at Cranfield, the smaller, highly focused postgraduate technology and management college that has its own airport. Continue reading...

Federal court affirms an August 2024 finding that Tickle was discriminated against on the basis of her gender identity and awards her $20,000

Redevelopment of the former Department of Lands building on Sydney's Bridge Street wins National Trust heritage awardIt was once a grand old sandstone masterpiece, where returned soldiers would cram into marble corridors to anxiously await lottery draws that could change their lives.Then the 20th century happened. Continue reading...

Pressure grows on Alcoa over strip-mining of Western Australian jarrah forest, which also threatens Perth's water supply

One Nation leader and Barnaby Joyce flew on Gina Rinehart's plane from the Sunshine Coast to Mount Isa before taking charter to tour flood-affected communitiesPauline Hanson billed taxpayers almost $16,000 in private charter flights to travel around flood-affected Queensland on the suggestion of billionaire Gina Rinehart, despite previously claiming the trip was at no cost to the taxpayer".In January, Hanson and Barnaby Joyce flew on Rinehart's luxury Gulfstream G700 from the Sunshine Coast to Mount Isa, after which they travelled on charter flights to flood-affected communities around Julia Creek to meet local mayors. Continue reading...

Refugee advocacy group warns migrants should not be used as scapegoats' as prime minister claims Coalition imitating One Nation policies

Guardian columnist Rafael Behr talks through a tumultuous day for Labour and Keir Starmer - following the resignation of health secretary Wes Streeting, and the renewed possibility of a Westminster comeback for Andy BurnhamAfter a week of speculation and gossip, Thursday seemed to be the day the Labour leadership contest really took off. Officially though, Keir Starmer is still in place ... and not going anywhere.Guardian columnist Rafael Behr talks through a frantic day that started with Wes Streeting's resignation as health secretary and ended with the very real possibility of his rival - Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham - returning to parliament. Continue reading...

Visit comes after US-Cuba relations deteriorated significantly, and as the island nation declared it had absolutely no fuel' because of US blockadeCIA director John Ratcliffe met Cuban officials in Havana on Thursday as a way to improve dialogue between the US and the communist-run island, the Cuban government said.The meeting took place in a context marked by the complexity of bilateral relations, with the aim of contributing to the political dialogue between both nations", a statement said. Continue reading...

We know that Mark Carney wants to sort of embrace Europe,' says competition director Martin GreenCanada is welcome to join Eurovision if it wishes, its director has said, months after the country revealed it wanted to explore" joining the song contest in its federal budget.Eurovision director Martin Green told the BBC on Wednesday that Canada hadn't yet applied, but would be welcome to. Continue reading...

Charity says calls to its Childline service about online sexual abuse and exploitation have risen 36% in a yearChildren reported a rise in online blackmail attempts involving sexual images in the UK last year, according to a leading charity.The NSPCC said contacts with its Childline service relating to online sexual abuse and exploitation rose by 36% last year, driven by an increase in cases related to online blackmail. Continue reading...

Export's performances scandalised Austria in the 1960s, but are now recognised for exposing the objectification of the female bodyValie Export, the Austrian performance artist and film-maker who inverted the male gaze in ways that were provocative, shocking and often outrageously fun, has died aged 85.The artist's own foundation announced on Thursday evening that Export died in Vienna earlier the same day, three days before her 86th birthday. Continue reading...

Health officials say close contacts being offered antibiotics as a precaution after cases discovered in ReadingA young person has died and two others are being treated after an outbreak of meningitis in Berkshire, health officials have said.It follows a major outbreak in Kent, linked to a Canterbury nightclub, that killed two people and left more than a dozen needing hospital treatment in March. Continue reading...

Media law experts cast doubt on viability of a defamation lawsuit promised by Netanyahu over Nicholas Kristof essayIsrael's prime minister, Benjamin Nethanyahu, and foreign minister, Gideon Sa'ar, have threatened to sue the New York Times for defamation over the publication of an essay by Nicholas Kristof detailing allegations that Palestinian women, men and children have been raped and sexually abused in Israeli military detention.Following the publication by Nicholas Kristof in The New York Times of one of the most hideous and distorted lies ever published against the State of Israel in the modern press, which also received the backing of the newspaper, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar have instructed the initiation of a defamation lawsuit against The New York Times," Israel's ministry of foreign affairs wrote in a social media post on Thursday. Continue reading...

Revelation seen as serious blow to candidacy of Flavio Bolsonaro, Brazil's leading rightwing presidential hopefulFlavio Bolsonaro, Brazil's leading rightwing presidential hopeful, has been caught on tape asking a banker accused of corruption for $26.8m (20m) to fund a film about his father, the former president Jair Bolsonaro.The leaked voice memos and text messages were published on Wednesday by the Intercept Brasil, and later acknowledged by Flavio Bolsonaro, a far-right senator who is tied in polls with President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva ahead of October's election. Continue reading...

There was wind, there was fire, there was Goodrem's remarkable upper-range - resulting in a refreshingly self-assured offering from Australia

Council of Europe members plan to change interpretation of rights laws to make it easier to deport peopleKeir Starmer's government has been accused of trying to water down legal protections for torture victims as ministers from 46 countries including the UK prepare to make it easier to deport refused asylum seekers and foreign criminals.Yvette Cooper, the foreign secretary, is expected to agree a political declaration" on Friday with other members of the Council of Europe, which oversees the European convention on human rights (ECHR). Continue reading...

Greater Manchester mayor would need to win Makerfield seat before launching campaign for Labour leadershipAndy Burnham now has a potential route back to parliament and a chance to become Labour's next leader after an MP said he would trigger a byelection by standing down from his seat.The move ended days of speculation about whether Burnham could secure a possible path back into Westminster and underlined the increasingly precarious nature of Keir Starmer's premiership. Continue reading...

Andy Burnham has announced he will attempt to return to Westminster after the Labour MP Josh Simons said he will vacate his Makerfield seat in order for Burnham to run in a byelection. It follows a day of breaking news in which the health secretary, Wes Streeting, resigned, saying he has lost confidence in the prime minister, and Angela Rayner announced she had been cleared by the HMRC. Where does this leave Keir Starmer, the leadership of the Labour party, and the country? Continue reading...

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NHS experts and MPs say he told a good story' as health secretary while kicking the difficult cans down the road

Now former health secretary and Manchester mayor could be about to make an unlikely deal to oust Keir StarmerWho said the Labour party needs a battle of ideas, not of personalities or petty factionalism ... It needs to be broad, and it needs the best possible field of candidates"?Until Thursday morning, almost everyone would have attributed those words to Andy Burnham, the mayor or Greater Manchester. But those were the closing paragraphs of the former health secretary Wes Streeting's resignation letter, a cadence so similar to Burnham's own that it cannot be accidental. Continue reading...