World news | The Guardian

Blasts did not interrupt French president's visit but are setback for Syrian leaders' attempt to project stabilityExplosions rocked Damascus near the hotel where French president, Emmanuel Macron, was staying on Tuesday, wounding at least 18 people, Syrian authorities said.Macron was in the presidential palace for a meeting with the Syrian president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, when two improvised explosive devices detonated near the Four Seasons hotel where Macron was reported to be staying. Continue reading...

The Reform UK leader says he will stand again in Clacton, saying the people of the constituency should be the judges of my actions'Q: Do you think the parliamentary commissioner for standards should investigate Nigel Farage's gifts from George Cottrell?Badenoch said that was a matter for the commissioner.[Farage is] hinting at press regulation. For all of the criticism and the attacks, and I would even say abuse that I've got from the press, I've never once recommended curbing our free press. I think this is one of the amazing things about this country.I would be very worried about a Reform government using government power to control the press. I don't think that that would be right. Continue reading...

Judge says group - including Elton John and Liz Hurley - failed to prove allegations of unlawful information gathering against Associated Newspapers LimitedIn his 436-page written judgment, Mr Justice Nicklin said the claimants failed to prove the allegations of unlawful information gathering (UIG).As a reminder, the claimants were Prince Harry, Elton John and husband David Furnish, actors Liz Hurley and Sadie Frost, campaigner Doreen Lawrence, and former Liberal Democrat MP Simon Hughes. The judge wrote in his summary:The court rejected the attempt to prove the claims by broad inference where there remained a legitimate and realistic possible lawful source pathway, or where the article-specific evidence did not prove that the relevant information must have been obtained unlawfully...The court also held that the parties were bound by the cases they had pleaded. It was not permissible, at trial, to replace a pleaded allegation with a different, and in many instances more serious, allegation of UIG... The claims are therefore dismissed. Continue reading...

Experts say the critical reservoir system is careening toward a breaking point as the US west's climate warms and driesLake Powell, US's second-largest reservoir, threatens to plunge to unprecedentedly low levels this year after a historically bleak snowpack failed to raise its water level, scientists and water experts have said, adding renewed urgency to stalled talks over how to conserve a water source depended on by tens of millions of people in the US south-west.The 185-mile Colorado River reservoir currently stands at about 23% of its capacity, or roughly 5.6m acre-feet. Lake Powell fell below that level for a few months three years ago. But those 2023 levels were recorded in the winter, when the reservoir straddling the Utah-Arizona border hits its lowest ebb. Spring runoff carried the level back up to 9.6m acre-feet by June, according to data from the US Bureau of Reclamation. Continue reading...

Residents and council say creating affordable housing is more urgent than high-frequency trading' in nearby CityCampaigners in east London are opposing plans for a datacentre in Brick Lane that they say will worsen the area's housing crisis and drive long-term residents away.The road, famed for its curry houses and 24-hour bagel shops, is the latest flashpoint in the rapid rollout of datacentres across the UK that aims to meet demand created by artificial intelligence. Continue reading...

Judge shortens length of ineligibility to hold public office but orders Le Pen wear an electronic tag, something she has previously said would rule her out from runningThe opening speeches are now under way in Ankara, and you can watch them below.This is the Day 1 industry event, not the leaders' summit, mind you. Continue reading...

Duke of Sussex and other prominent figures sued Associated Newspapers alleging it sourced stories using unlawful methods Prince Harry court case - latest updatesThe Duke of Sussex and six other prominent figures have lost their case against the publisher of the Daily Mail over claims it sourced stories using an array of unlawful methods over two decades.In a ruling that is likely to signal an end to new litigation relating to the phone-hacking scandal, the high court dismissed all the claims, stating the claimants had not proved information had been obtained unlawfully. Continue reading...

Exclusive: health groups call on expected next PM to rip up agreement, which analysis suggests could lead to 229,000 excess deaths by 2036

Central bank's financial policy committee members voice concern on trimming big lenders' financial buffers

Lachie Perrem suffered life-threatening injuries after the explosion on Thursday destroyed his share house in BrabhamA Perth man has spent five days fighting for his life after a robot vacuum cleaner explosion set fire to his home.Lachie Perrem, aged in his 20s, was rushed to hospital on Thursday with life-threatening burns from a blaze that left his fiancee and housemates without their home. Continue reading...

Border police officer under investigation after CCTV footage shows him shouting at car's occupants and throwing deviceIsraeli police have opened an investigation after CCTV footage showed a border police officer throwing a stun grenade into a car carrying young Palestinians during a raid on the Qalandiya refugee camp in the occupied West Bank.The footage from Sunday, released by the Israeli rights group B'Tselem, shows an officer approaching a car and shouting at its occupants. Continue reading...

Group of 100 investors still discussing 10bn rescue proposal with officials from regulator Ofwat, says report

Jack Gibson-Burrell, 22, was taken into custody for questioning after allegedly climbing and painting a giant cartoon bird on the bridge

Shipment discovered at airport in Monrovia and valued at 14.2m had been falsely declared as seasoning cubesAuthorities in Liberia have charged five suspects over one of the largest drug seizures in the country's history, after police found more than 200kg of cocaine falsely declared as Maggi seasoning cubes.The shipment, with an estimated value of $19m (14.2m), was discovered at the international airport in Monrovia on 8 June, but the suspects were not named until a press briefing at the weekend. Continue reading...

In today's newsletter: Former Reasons to Be Cheerful guests on the challenges facing the presumptive next occupant of No 11 Downing StreetGood morning. Does anybody else remember Reasons to Be Cheerful? The podcast was hosted by radio presenter Geoff Lloyd and Ed Miliband, during what has been unkindly described as his wilderness years, after he stepped down as Labour leader in 2015.I flipping loved that podcast. It started in 2017, soon after my son was born, and I have fond memories of driving across the country with a pooping infant, listening to Ed and Geoff discuss ideas to fix the world. It gave me hope my kid might grow up into a half-decent future.UK politics | Nigel Farage has been accompanied by his friend George Cottrell, a convicted fraudster, to numerous Reform events and fundraisers and on a trip to Abu Dhabi, raising questions about the claim that he has no official role in the party.World Cup | Donald Trump said he personally asked Fifa president Gianni Infantino to review the red card shown to USA striker Folarin Balogun, saying he believed the dismissal was unfair but insisting he did not pressure football's governing body to overturn the suspension.UK news | One 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.Immigration | A Jamaican man who has lived more than half his life in the UK is facing deportation to his home country in one of the first cases since new anti-immigration measures were announced in last week's immigration bill.Israel | A British charity is funding a religious school at the heart of expansion plans for the illegal Israeli settlement in the Palestinian city of Hebron. Continue reading...

Rise in share price adds nearly $1bn to tech giant's market value while White continues on as a board director and chief innovation officer

Bees respond to tasty treats or plain water based on context, a study that may provide support for establishing insect sentience shows

Nigel Farage urged to clarify dependence' on Cottrell, who also joined Reform leader in Abu Dhabi in DecemberNigel Farage has been accompanied by his friend George Cottrell, a convicted fraudster, to numerous Reform events and fundraisers and a trip to Abu Dhabi, raising questions about the claim that he has no official role in the party.Labour has called on Farage to clarify his personal and financial dependence" on Cottrell, who has also been supporting his lifestyle through accommodation and security before the election. Continue reading...

Hussam Abu Safiya faces tangible danger to his life' following 18 months in prison without charge or trial

Dan Jarvis, who wants to stay on as defence secretary, says he is confident PM-in-waiting values national securityThe new defence secretary, Dan Jarvis, has called on Andy Burnham to increase defence spending dramatically from 2030 and evidence the trajectory" towards a Nato target that would mean 25bn a year more for the military by the middle of the next decade.The former paratrooper said he was confident that the prime minister-in-waiting valued national security, as he openly lobbied him for cash that would probably have to come from cuts elsewhere. Continue reading...

Analysis finds services cheaper but country ranks 57th in network performance and 70th for download speedsBritish holidaymakers watching online videos while they sit on a European beach this summer are likely to be pleasantly surprised: the signal should be better than at home.Mobile coverage in the UK is worse than in any of the 27 EU member countries, and every other member of the G7 group of large economies, according to analysis by consumer group Which? of data from Opensignal. Continue reading...

Interim president says unrest will not break out despite anger at official response to the 24 June disasterVenezuela's interim president has defended her country's emergency response to the twin earthquakes that have killed more than 3,000 people, vowing the country would not descend into social unrest.Many Venezuelans have expressed anger at what they see as the US-backed government's inadequate response to the 24 June disaster before international teams arrived. Continue reading...

Nothing to see here,' says the man who once overruled council planners in favour of Richard Dirty' DesmondHow unlucky can one man get? You have to feel for Nigel Farage. Why does it keep happening to him? There he is, just minding his own business, trying to make a decent living - those five houses won't pay for themselves, which is why other people may have done - and yet there's always someone trying to drag a good man down. Isn't the Man of the People (TM)" entitled to have a few multimillionaires as friends to bankroll his lifestyle? Who hasn't pined for crypto and gold bullion?First there was the 5m from the British-Thai crypto billionaire Christopher Harborne, revealed exclusively by the Guardian. Months later, the stench won't go away. Even Nige has been at a loss to explain what exactly he was given the money for. Unsure whether it was a payment to cover security or just a little thank you" for a lifetime's work in the service of making the country an easier place for grifters to make money. Even now, Nige has gone to ground as he tries to get his story straight. Continue reading...

State Labor conference passes motion committing to higher taxes on some clubs and moratorium on licenses for new machines

Match at Burnopfield near Newcastle called off after 800kg young bull escaped from farm and stormed playing fieldA cricket match had to be abandoned after a runaway bull stormed the playing field and charged at players.The North East Premier League fixture at Burnopfield Cricket Club near Newcastle was called off on Saturday evening despite efforts to remove the animal from the ground. Continue reading...

Thousands of police deployed to Erfurt in central Germany as party holds conference on key Nazi dateRiot police have clashed with opponents of the far-right Alternative fur Deutschland (AfD) party on the streets of Erfurt in Germany, where thousands met to block roads and prevent AfD delegates from attending the party's biennial national conference to elect its leadership.Police reported 20,000 protesters were demonstrating in the eastern city, where Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla are expected to be re-elected as the party's co-leaders in the run-up to crucial regional elections in which AfD could win power at state-level for the first time. Continue reading...

Half of county's planning infringement notices target caravans in fields, fuelling eviction fears for vulnerable peoplePeople living in caravans and horseboxes on farms in Cornwall because they can't afford or find a house to rent are facing homelessness after a crackdown by the council.Cornwall council recently announced that it was one of the top five authorities in England for enforcing infringements of planning regulations. Half of those notices, it said, were served on caravans in agricultural fields. Continue reading...

Deal including national priority' policy brings prospect closer of countrywide agreement between partiesThe prospect of a national coalition between Spain's conservative People's party (PP) and its far-right Vox party has drawn closer still after the two groupings sealed another deal that will allow the PP to continue ruling the southern region of Andalucia.The PP, which has governed the former socialist bastion for the past seven years, lost its absolute majority in May's regional election, forcing it to look to Vox to help it stay in power in Spain's most populous region. Continue reading...

Ebony Bell convicted and handed community work order following assault on senator and second gratuitous act of violence' while on bail

Given pressures on the public purse, the Makerfield MP may have to look at autumn tax rises to fund his new direction'An economy rattled by a global energy shock, jittery bond markets and rising spending demands. As Andy Burnham prepares for government, the pressures on the public finances are in focus.The prospective prime minister pledged a new direction for Britain this week within two constraints: sticking to Labour's current fiscal rules, and consistency with its 2024 manifesto. Continue reading...

Canoeist David Hearn was arrested in June after touching a peeling piece of liner in the pool from renovation projectDavid Hearn, a three-time US Olympian and canoeist, has been indicted by a grand jury in Washington DC after Donald Trump blamed vandals for damaging Washington's reflecting pool following a $14.7m renovation project.The indictment accuses Hearn, 67, of maliciously" breaking or destroying lining material on the bottom of the reflecting pool on 19 June. Lawyers for Hearn denied the allegations following his arrest, accusing the Trump administration of treating ordinary conduct as criminal. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Findings cast doubt on Keir Starmer's claims that reallocation of funds to MoD will boost British jobsKeir Starmer's decision to cut billions of pounds of infrastructure spending to pay for more defence equipment will end up costing the UK 10,000 jobs, according to an analysis of the government's own figures.The prime minister announced this week he was putting an extra 15bn into defence investment to revamp the country's armed forces and boost British manufacturing. Continue reading...

NEC told it must take steps to address fears - including not hiring Everton stadium to announce new leader before nominations even openLabour chiefs have been warned they must placate disgruntled Labour members who are angry at the lack of party democracy because Andy Burnham is not expected to face a challenge to become Labour leader.MPs have told the party there are growing complaints from members about the lack of involvement from members if Burnham does not face a leadership contest from any other MP. Continue reading...

Couple pledges millions to children's hospitals, food banks and educational programs in advance of their big dayTaylor Swift and Travis Kelce are donating $26m to charities in advance of their rumored wedding at New York's Madison Square Garden this weekend, a representative for the couple has confirmed to the Guardian.The 20 named charities include organizations in meaningful locations to the couple such as Nashville (where Swift got her start in music), Kansas City (the home of Kelce's Chiefs NFL team) and New York City, where Swift and Kelce's wedding is reported to take place. Continue reading...

Between 1949 and 1976, an estimated 185,000 babies were taken from unmarried mothers and placed for adoption in England and WalesStarmer said what happened to the mothers, and their children, should never have happened. He said:What happened to them, and to tens of thousands of mothers, children, and families, should never have happened. It is a stain on our history.Mothers, many young, vulnerable, and without support were coerced, bullied, or misled into feeling that they had no choice but to have their children taken away from them. What a thing to do.I have to confess, as I said to them this morning, I found it hard to read the testimonies and to hear their stories.I find it particularly hard, as a dad. How much harder it must have been for them to go through that, to set out their testimonies and tell their stories over and over again. Continue reading...

The US city is home to about 70,000 Bosnians, the largest diaspora community outside their homelandMersad Smajic, a St Louis, Missouri, real estate investor and restaurant owner, has been thrilled to see fellow Bosnian immigrants thrive in their new home, which has been especially evident during the World Cup.The midwestern city has about 70,000 Bosnians, most of whom fled the country during its war in the 90s, making it the largest such community outside the Balkan country. Continue reading...

PM's former chief of staff opens up on political mistakes and shares Trump's theories about wind turbines

Indictment against alleged leader of gas pipeline attack claims former Ukrainian army officer was directed by stateGerman prosecutors have accused Ukrainian state authorities" of ordering the 2022 explosives attack on the Nord Stream gas pipelines linking Russia with Europe, a charge likely to ignite tensions between Kyiv and Berlin, its biggest military backer.The sabotage in the Baltic Sea by a team of assailants almost entirely destroyed the seafloor infrastructure of the key source of Russian gas to Germany. Continue reading...

Schism caused by Society of Saint Pius X ordaining four bishops without consent presents first crisis for Pope Leo

First judge found to have erred by giving 15-year-olds youth rehabilitation orders for rape of two girls in HampshireTwo 15-year-old boys who were spared custody for the rape of two girls have been sentenced to four years' detention after the court of appeal ruled their sentences were unduly lenient".After a national outcry, the attorney general, Richard Hermer, referred the case to the court to consider whether the sentences given to three boys - identified only as X, Y and Z - were too light Continue reading...

Reasons for increase not clear but experts say it could be welcome sign marine ecosystem is becoming healthierThe Farne Islands off the Northumberland coast have long drawn fans of the natural world keen to catch sight of the resident guillemots and puffins.But as recently as last week, another much bigger black-and-white animal has been delighting wildlife spotters. Orcas have been appearing more regularly than ever before. Continue reading...

Jury also finds Riad Bouchaker guilty of assaulting two other children and a childcare worker in 2023 stabbingsA man has been found guilty of attempting to murder three children during a stabbing attack in Dublin in 2023, a crime that horrified Ireland and triggered a riot in the capital.A jury at the central criminal court on Wednesday also found Riad Bouchaker, 52, guilty of assault causing serious harm to a childcare worker, Leanne Flynn, and of assaulting two other children and a teenager. Continue reading...

Figure is more than five times the widely used 600,000 figure widely cited in apologies by king and politiciansAt least 3.3 million people were enslaved in the Netherlands during the transatlantic slave trade, research claims - more than five times the 600,000 figure widely used in history books and cited in apologies by the king and politicians.King Willem-Alexander referred to the more than 600,000 people who were brought from Africa on Dutch ships to be sold as enslaved people when he apologised three years ago for the role of the Netherlands in the transatlantic slave trade. Continue reading...

The royal commission into antisemitism and social cohesion hears how witnesses are subjected to hate speech amplified by misogyny

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Day trippers face fines for entering Austrian city's old town during July and August in action to curb chaotic traffic situations'Salzburg has begun enforcing a summer ban on visitors driving into its historic centre, picking up a policy modelled by other car-choked European cities plagued by overtourism.Authorities in Austria's fourth largest municipal area said they hoped the less traffic, more city" restrictions in July and August would reduce the number of vehicle entries by 1,000 a day. Continue reading...

Prime minister says he will take no lectures from Tories after Kemi Badenoch says investment plan is insufficient

New name recognises the playwright's huge impact on British theatre with producer Sonia Friedman saying he would be tickled pink'The Duke of York's theatre in the West End is to become the Tom Stoppard theatre in honour of the playwright who died in November.The theatre is currently presenting Carrie Cracknell's revival of Stoppard's 1993 masterpiece Arcadia and the same play was produced there in 2009. The playwright's wife, Sabrina Stoppard, said: Tom was in his element whenever he had a play on in the West End, so I am thrilled to bits that this theatre will be named after him. It means that his memory will live on, not just through his plays, but also through this building." Continue reading...

Track record of Welsh Water shows public ownership is not the answer to all the woes in the utilities sectorGood news for Andy Burnham: one of the original 10 water privatisations from the Thatcher-era has returned to public ownership already. Thanks to a complicated turn-of-the-century corporate saga, Welsh Water, serving 3 million people, converted to not-for-profit status in 2001. It has no shareholders. Financial surpluses go straight back into keeping bills down and looking after your water and beautiful environment", as the website blurb puts it.How's it going? After a quarter of a century without dividend-hungry shareholders to feed, has the model proved its superiority? Not exactly. Welsh Water usually has high scores on customer trust metrics but its performance on bills and spills tends to be middle of the pack. Continue reading...

Nearly 100 academy chief executives earn more than 200,000 a year, and at least one more than 500,000The era of academy school leaders in England receiving banker-style salaries" and hefty annual increases may soon be over, with the government to introduce limits on executive pay.Nearly 100 academy chief executives earn more than 200,000 a year, with pay in academy trusts equating to anything from less than 5 a pupil to more than 150. Only a quarter of the high-earners were women. Continue reading...