World news | The Guardian

Australian hip-hop artist donned a Palestinian keffiyeh and delivered a blistering critique of the broadcaster and its treatment of Antoinette Lattouf

Peak winds of 165mph bring 17 deaths in Taiwan, while Storm Bualoi threatens to strengthen into typhoon on its way to the PhilippinesSuper Typhoon Ragasa pounded Taiwan, Hong Kong and China before moving into Vietnam on Thursday night, though as a much-weakened storm.At its peak Ragasa had mean wind speeds of 165mph as it moved to the south of Taiwan, where it brought significant heavy rain resulting in 17 deaths as a barrier lake burst. Continue reading...

Station Hall displays from a microwave-burger box to royal carriages intended to showcase best and worst of rail travelThere is Queen Victoria's funeral wreath, a station ticket kiosk allegedly used by Rod Stewart and then an object so important it comes on its own plinth: the last ever microwave-burger box before the introduction of deli-style" meals on GNER trains.I can remember having a cheeseburger on the train coming down from Aberdeen to London in the 1990s," said Andrew McLean with fondness. Continue reading...

It should remain mostly dry for the entire match, from the first bounce ... to full-time,' Bureau of Meteorology says

British officials said they feared Trump would recognise Israeli control over the West Bank in retaliation for the UK, Australia, France and other recognising PalestineDonald Trump has said he will not allow Israel to annex the West Bank, rejecting calls from some far-right politicians in Israel who want to extend sovereignty over the area and snuff out hopes for a Palestinian state.I will not allow Israel to annex the West Bank. Nope, I will not allow it. It's not going to happen," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office, adding There's been enough. It's time to stop now." Continue reading...

Data leak gives Guardian US investigations team an unprecedented look into Trump's deportation regime - and how people are seemingly being disappeared'. Oliver Laughland and Maanvi Singh reportNear the 13th hole of a golf course in Alexandria, rural Louisiana, the Guardian US's southern bureau chief, Oliver Laughland, could see a telling image of where America is at the moment'. On one side, golfers teeing off on a scorching hot day; on the other, in the distance and through a fence, lines of people shackled at the feet and hands, loaded on to planes'.They were people being held at the Alexandria staging facility, a detention and removal centre that has become central to Donald Trump's deportation regime. Continue reading...

Wounds such as burns or leg injuries more common in Gaza than among US soldiers who fought in Iraq and AfghanistanCivilians in Gaza have sustained injuries of a type and on a scale more usually seen among professional soldiers involved in intense combat operations, research has found.A study published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) found that some types of wounds - such as burns or injuries to legs - were more common among civilians in Gaza than among US soldiers fighting in recent conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Continue reading...

Russian efforts to delay the return of sanctions is expected to fail during vote on FridayA final Russian attempt to defer the snapback of large-scale UN sanctions on Iran is expected to fail at the UN security council on Friday after European countries rejected last-minute Iranian offers to give UN weapons inspectors limited access to its bombed nuclear sites.Russia will call for the reimposition of the sanctions to be deferred for six months to give more time for diplomacy, but European diplomats are confident that Russia will not get the nine votes it needs on the security council for the snapback to be deferred. The last time Russia put the same issue to a vote it received only four votes. Continue reading...

Boys and girls in demographic start secondary school with weakest levels of engagement, research findsWhite pupils from low-income families in England start secondary school with far lower levels of enthusiasm or effort than other ethnic groups, according to new research that may partly explain differences in academic results and behaviour.Both girls and boys from lower-income white families reported weak levels of engagement from year 7 onwards. Girls were less likely to enjoy being at school while the boys made less effort with their school work. Continue reading...

Ashford and Ebbsfleet have been shut to cross-Channel services since 2020, with Eurostar calling them unviableHopes that international rail services could return to UK stations abandoned by Eurostar have grown, with the government backing new competitors who plan to serve stops in Kent.Ministers have been leaning on the rail regulator to give crucial space on the railway to prospective entrants who pledge to bring cross-Channel services back to Ashford and Ebbsfleet stations - and possibly London's Stratford International. Continue reading...

Legal opinion for campaign group says deal amounts to reversal of UK's commitment to nuclear disarmamentBritain will violate its nuclear disarmament obligations if Labour presses ahead with the 1bn purchase of 12 F-35A fighter jets, according to a specialist legal opinion prepared on behalf of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND).Two international lawyers argue that the government's plan to reintroduce air-launched nuclear weapons for the RAF will break a key provision of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty (NPT) signed by the UK and 190 other countries. Continue reading...

Police search former Doctor Who star's property and are seen leaving with boxesThe actor Noel Clarke has been arrested by police at his family home in London.Detectives searched the former Doctor Who star's property in Kensington and officers were seen leaving the address with boxes apparently containing a laptop and documents. Continue reading...

Reported proposal for international body to oversee Gaza for up to five years counters UN-backed plan for faster transition to Palestinian ruleThe White House is backing a plan under which the former British prime minister Tony Blair would head a temporary administration of the Gaza Strip, initially without the direct involvement of the Palestinian Authority (PA), according to reports in the Israeli media.Under the proposal, Blair would head a body called the Gaza International Transitional Authority (Gita) which would have a mandate to be Gaza's supreme political and legal authority" for as long as five years. Continue reading...

As Keir Starmer aims to revive ID card system first proposed by Tony Blair, we look at the arguments for and againstIt is 21 years since Tony Blair's government made proposals for an ID card system to tackle illegal working and immigration, and to make it more convenient for the public to access services.The same issues are on the agenda again as Keir Starmer revives what became one of New Labour's most controversial policies. He is about to find out if he can defeat the argument that David Cameron's Conservatives made before scrapping it. They said the ID card approach to personal privacy was the worst of all worlds - intrusive, ineffective and enormously expensive". Continue reading...

Canada premier's move prompts criticism from road safety activists and is likely to cue another showdown with TorontoDoug Ford has announced plans to ban speed cameras in Ontario, describing the devices as an out-of-control tax grab" in his latest populist appeal to suburban voters.The move prompted criticism from road safety activists and is likely to cue another showdown with Toronto, after the mayor of Canada's largest city urged councillors to keep the cameras in place, warning that speed kills". Continue reading...

Starmer understood to be furious at Greater Manchester mayor's admission that he would seek to challenge for the leadershipLabour's internal warfare broke into the open on Thursday as Keir Starmer and several cabinet ministers criticised Andy Burnham over his comments dismissing the bond markets.Senior Labour figures compared the Greater Manchester mayor's attitude to the cavalier approach taken by former Conservative prime minister Liz Truss in a sign of how low relations between No 10 and Burnham have plunged. Continue reading...

Experts say political legacy of former president convicted of criminal conspiracy now appears impossible to rebuild

Thinktank's Alexander Iosad claims says cards will tackle illegal migration and help people access government servicesSweeney asked about Northern Powerhouse Rail, and reports it is being shelved again.Burnham said these reports were disappointing".It feels always that projects in the southern half the country are green lighted but often red lighted up here. Continue reading...

Former French president receives five-year prison sentence for criminal conspiracy over pact with Gaddafi regimeThe former French president Nicolas Sarkozy said he would sleep in jail but with my head held high" after receiving a five-year prison sentence for criminal conspiracy - the first time a former head of state has been sent to prison in modern French history.The verdict and sentencing followed a trial in which he and his aides were accused of making a corruption pact with the regime of the late Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi to receive funding for the 2007 French presidential election campaign. Continue reading...

Similar legislation introduced in Rio in mid-1990s caused an explosion of extrajudicial killings in the city's favelasHuman rights activists have voiced outrage after Rio de Janeiro's parliament approved plans to pay police officers a wild west bonus" for neutralizing criminals" during operations.The move is a throwback to the mid-1990s when Rio's then governor, Marcello Alencar, introduced similar legislation that caused an explosion of extrajudicial killings in the city's favelas. Continue reading...

Speech by Palestinian Authority president also says Hamas should have no role in governing Palestine and must disarmAlimi says the policy of containment has given the Houthis time to expand its arsenal.It has become clear the peace we seek cannot be asked for but must be imposed by force," he says. Continue reading...

Sarkozy found guilty of criminal conspiracy for receiving millions of euros from late Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi and will spend time in custody even if he appealsHere is a bit more on that from Reuters:Sarkozy, who has always denied the charges, was accused of making a deal with Gaddafi in 2005, when he was France's interior minister, to obtain campaign financing in exchange for supporting the then-isolated Libyan government on the international stage.... Continue reading...

The background, key players and likely outcome of a contest of crucial interest to both Europe and RussiaMoldova will vote this Sunday in parliamentary elections that its president has described as the most important" in the history of the small country. The results will confirm if Moldova, a former Soviet Republic that gained independence in 1991, continues on its path of western integration, or moves back into Russia's orbit. Continue reading...

Gary Poland, who rang police 50 minutes after attack, tells inquiry he wishes he had checked on the children's welfareA taxi driver who took the Southport killer to the scene of the attack has said he regrets not phoning the police sooner.Gary Poland, who did not phone police until 50 minutes after the attack, said he feared a gunman was at large and that he would be a target. Continue reading...

Higher education regulator describes findings from survey of 50,000 final-year students as national scandal'One in three female students say they have endured sexual harassment during their time at university or college, with most of it taking place around campus, according to data published by England's higher education regulator.The results showed that nearly one in five women also experienced sexual assault or violence during their time as a student, often at the hands of other students or staff, with younger women, lesbian, gay or bisexual students and students with disabilities at higher risk. Continue reading...

Bilingual production by Theatr Cymru is expected to be first time Welsh will be heard at South Bank venueGrappling with the subtleties of Shakespeare's poetry and prose has proved a challenge for many a theatre company but a novel linguistic challenge has been added into the mix in a new production of Romeo and Juliet.A Welsh-English bilingual version of the tragedy, called Romeo a Juliet, is about to set off on tour, ending at Shakespeare's Globe in London - believed to be the first time Cymraeg (the Welsh language) will have been heard at the venue on the South Bank.Romeo a Juliet opens at the Sherman theatre in Cardiff on 29 September and will tour venues across Wales before its run at the Globe. It will be performed at the Globe's Sam Wanamaker Playhouse from 5-8 November. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Greater Manchester mayor says policy introduced in 2017 is arbitrary and cannot be justifiedAndy Burnham has thrown further weight behind calls to scrap the two-child benefit limit, calling it an abhorrent policy that represents the worst of Westminster".The two-child limit, which was introduced by the Conservative government in 2017, only allows families to claim universal credit and tax credits for up to two children. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Departure of key figure comes little over a week after that of director of political strategy

Shadow justice secretary demands that prospective MPs sign contract saying they stand for Conservative values'

Streamer to crack down on AI-generated spam by introducing filter to identify fraudulent uploadsSpotify has revealed it removed 75m spam tracks from its platform over the past year as artificial intelligence tools increase the ability of fraudsters to create fake music.The world's biggest music streaming service announced a crackdown on vexatious tracks after admitting the rise of powerful AI tools had coincided with a significant amount of spam content being tackled by the streamer. Continue reading...

Greater Manchester mayor accuses Downing Street of creating a climate of fear' and says wholesale change is required

Reform UK leader presses governor Andrew Bailey over quantitative easing at meeting at Threadneedle Street

Authorities say all three people shot were detainees at Dallas facility. Plus, WHO rejects Trump's claims of link between Tylenol and autism

Trump officials seek to tie attacks to radical left' as agencies accused of violent tactics against migrants and protestersWednesday's deadly shooting at an Immigration and Customs and Enforcement (Ice) facility in Dallas comes as the agency has heightened its crusade against undocumented people and bolstered its self-image of being under siege from violent enemies.Little is known of the motives of the gunman who opened fire on the detention center near Love Field airport from a nearby roof, killing a detainee and wounding two others before killing himself. Continue reading...

Huang Chu-jung, previously an assistant to a New Taipei city councillor, receives longest sentence of 10 yearsFour former employees of Taiwan's ruling political party have been convicted of spying for China and handed prison sentences of up to 10 years.The four include a former aide to Taiwan's president, Lai Ching-te, when he was vice-president and for a time during his current presidency, and a senior staffer to Joseph Wu, then foreign minister and now the national security chief. Continue reading...

A vibrant culture, a dynamic food scene and lively atmosphere pushed Burwood into the Top 20, according to local experts'

Colin Firth's ex-wife to return honorary medal to authorities in protest over US president's poisonous rhetoric'

Huge clear-up efforts start after scale of damage from storm, which reportedly killed 25 in Taiwan and the Philippines, becomes apparentHuge clear-up operations were under way in southern China and Hong Kong on Thursday, after Super Typhoon Ragasa battered the region, causing widespread flooding and damaged roads.Ragasa, the most powerful tropical cyclone so far this year, left a trail of damage across Hong Kong, which resumed international flights on Thursday but kept kindergartens and some schools closed. In the economic hub of Guangdong province in mainland China, where more than 2 million people were evacuated ahead of the super typhoon, crews used excavators to clear thousands of toppled trees and unblock roads. Continue reading...

Firm must be clearer about price fans will pay and avoid using misleading' labels about ticket quality, says CMA

Australian officials demanded answers after the body of Byron Haddow was returned without his heartDNA testing is being carried out on a heart that is claimed to be that of Queensland man Byron Haddow, who died in Bali in May.Haddow, 23, was found dead in the plunge pool of his villa while on holiday. His body was returned to Australia four weeks later and a second autopsy found his heart was missing. Continue reading...

Under the new model participants will be interviewed for up to three hours and will no longer need to provide supporting documents

Exhibition featuring fragile and rarely seen watercolours explores artist's jaunts in and around Avon GorgeHe was so keen on clambering around the craggy cliffs of the Avon Gorge as a teenager that he was nicknamed prince of the rocks".An exhibition featuring rarely seen JMW Turner watercolours inspired by his nimble explorations of the gorge is opening at Bristol Museum & Art Gallery. They are so fragile that they are rarely brought out of careful storage and may not be seen again for a while. Continue reading...

Retailer says it needs to focus on weaknesses in food business that led to gaps on shelves in its stores

Number of criminal incidents in Victoria hit record high in 2024-25 as crime rate rose 13.8%, Crime Statistics Agency data shows

Though registration kiosks are due to open in UK in two weeks, system may not be fully enforced for nine monthsBiometric registration to visit the EU may not be fully enforced for another nine months, with border officials allowed to relax the rules to alleviate queues or chaos at ports after the system finally goes live.In just over two weeks, Eurotunnel, Eurostar and the Port of Dover will all open new biometric registration kiosks in the UK, installed at a cost of tens of millions of pounds. Continue reading...

Primary pupil numbers could fall by 4% over next five years leading to reduction of 162,000 pupils, study findsDeclining numbers of children across England could lead to the equivalent of 800 primary schools falling empty or being closed by the end of the decade, according to research by a thinktank.The national decline in pupils at state primary schools is mainly driven by low birthrates but is magnified in London by increasing numbers of people moving out of the capital or leaving the state system to move abroad or send their children to private schools, according to the Education Policy Institute. Continue reading...

Number of procedures on men up by 26% as experts say cosmetic surgery has become normalised despite risksGrowing numbers of men and younger people are getting facelifts, a trend driven by social media, advances in surgical techniques and the rise of weight loss drugs.Figures from the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (Baaps) show facelifts are on the rise in the UK. In 2024 there were 1,882 procedures, up 8% from the previous year. Women accounted for the majority, with numbers rising by 7% to 1,742. But the steepest increase came from men: procedures grew by 26%, from 111 in 2023 to 140 in 2024. Continue reading...

Two candidates have emerged as favourites to lead Japan's Liberal Democratic Party, ahead of the party vote next weekThe next leader of Japan's ruling party will either be the country's first female prime minister or its youngest leader since the war. But the significance of those milestones will be quickly lost in the party's attempts to rebuild after two bruising elections that have cast doubt over the future of one of the world's most successful political machines.Two of the five candidates vying to replace Shigeru ishiba - who announced his resignation earlier this month - as the next president of the Liberal Democratic party (LDP) have emerged as clear favourites in what analysts are describing as a last-ditch attempt to unify a party battered by a major funding scandal and the cost-of-living crisis. Continue reading...

Many of the 236,000 imitations of the fluffy figures found this year contain banned chemicals or pose choking riskFake Labubu dolls accounted for 90% of counterfeit toys seized at the UK border this year, with many found to contain banned chemicals or pose choking hazards.Border officials intercepted almost 259,000 counterfeit toys worth more than 3.5m, including 236,000 fake versions of Pop Mart's toothy, fluffy Labubu dolls. Continue reading...

Candidate abandons her court challenge to election result in blue-ribbon seat, saying she is satisfied independent Nicolette Boele won