The Emmy-nominated comedian and actor was best known for his role in the long-running sitcomGeorge Wendt, the actor best known for playing Norm in long-running sitcom Cheers, has died at 76.His death was confirmed by his publicist in a statement. Continue reading...
Music mogul's sex-trafficking trial continues as David James returns to stand and tells of incident that shook' himThe federal trial against Sean Diddy" Combs continued on Tuesday, with his former personal assistant David James returning to the witness stand.Combs, 55, is facing charges of sex-trafficking, racketeering conspiracy, and transportation to engage in prostitution. He was arrested in September 2024 and has pleaded not guilty.In the US, the domestic violence hotline is 1-800-799-SAFE (7233). In the UK, call the national domestic abuse helpline on 0808 2000 247, or visit Women's Aid. In Australia, the national family violence counselling service is on 1800 737 732. Other international helplines may be found via www.befrienders.org. Continue reading...
by Peter Walker Senior political correspondent on (#6XDPD)
The Reform UK leader, who has made at least nine trips abroad since general election, will return to UK next weekNigel Farage missed the parliamentary debate on the biggest reset to Brexit since the referendum because he is overseas on holiday, the Reform UK leader has said.Following speculation that he was on holiday in France, Farage, who has not been seen in the Commons this week and did not present his GB News show on Monday, released a statement confirming he was away. Continue reading...
Environment secretary makes announcement after company's chair said he may have misspoken' to MPsLarge bonuses due to be paid to Thames Water executives from an emergency 3bn loan have been withdrawn", the environment secretary Steve Reed said on Tuesday, after the Guardian revealed the chair of the company wrongly told parliament creditors had insisted" on the payments.Reed told the environment, food and rural affairs (Efra) committee on Tuesday that the retention payment plan had been withdrawn by Thames Water. He said: I am very happy indeed that Thames have now dropped those proposals. It was the wrong thing to do. They have now withdrawn their proposal to make those payments." Continue reading...
by Thomas Graham and agencies in San Salvador on (#6XCXJ)
Ruth Lopez held without access to lawyers at secret location accused of embezzlement' a decade agoThe head lawyer of a human rights group representing the families of Venezuelan migrants imprisoned in El Salvador after being deported from the United States has been arrested.Ruth Lopez, an outspoken critic of President Nayib Bukele, was detained late on Sunday under an order from the prosecutor's office which accused her of embezzlement" when she worked for an electoral court a decade ago, the human rights group Cristosal said in a statement. Continue reading...
by Sammy Gecsoyler (now); Andrew Sparrow, Yohannes Lo on (#6XCD6)
PM says deal is good for fishing' with reduced red tape and uncertainty caused by annual negotiationsQ: Will the UK now be subject to EU rules?Reynolds says he would push back against that. He says UK and EU rules are currently aligned. If EU rules were to change, the UK would want a say in shaping them. Continue reading...
Rights group declared undesirable organisation' amid Kremlin crackdown on critics, journalists and activistsAmnesty International has said it will not halt its work after Russia declared the rights group an undesirable organisation", in effect banning its operations in the country and exposing supporters to prosecution.This decision is part of the Russian government's broader effort to silence dissent and isolate civil society," Agnes Callamard, Amnesty International's secretary general, said. We will redouble our efforts to expose Russia's egregious human rights violations both at home and abroad." Continue reading...
Announcement by home secretary Yvette Cooper comes after Iranian nationals charged with spying in BritiainMinisters will draw up new laws to ban state-backed groups such as Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in the face of growing complex" threats from foreign powers, Yvette Cooper said on Monday.The home secretary made the announcement after three Iranian nationals were charged on Saturday with spying in the UK. Continue reading...
Exclusive: amount due to official failures, resulting in carers running up huge overpayments over months and yearsAt least 357m in carer's allowance benefit was paid out in error over the past six years due to official failures, resulting in debt and misery being inflicted on hundreds of thousands of people.The bulk of the figure relates to minor breaches of earnings rules by carers which the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) was alerted to but did not check, allowing carers to run up huge overpayments over months and years. Continue reading...
New episodes of the more than 50-year-old show will run on Netflix and PBS after HBO owner opted not to renew dealNetflix has thrown Sesame Street a safety net with a new streaming deal that offers the popular children's show a broad reach while simultaneously keeping it on its longstanding home, PBS, the companies announced Monday.Starting later this year, new episodes will run on Netflix, PBS and the PBS Kids app on the same day. No specific premiere date was immediately announced. Select past episodes will be available on Netflix worldwide. Continue reading...
Tourist authority backtracks on use of influencers after one tiny cove is swamped by 4,000 visitors a dayThe authorities in Spain's Balearic Islands have said they will stop using social media influencers to promote popular destinations, saying selfie tourism" is damaging some of its most beautiful locations.In an attempt to quell the effects of overtourism, the Balearics had hoped that influencers, many of whom have hundreds of thousands of followers, might relieve the strain on some better-known sites by directing visitors elsewhere. Continue reading...
by Presented by Pippa Crerar and Kiran Stacey, produc on (#6XCPP)
The UK and EU have reached a deal, in what Downing Street hopes will be a reset with Brussels after Brexit. But with negotiations coming down to the wire and fishing yet again a sticking point, how much has changed? Pippa Crerar and Kiran Stacey look at how the talks unfolded and how the politics around the new deal could play out Continue reading...
While acknowledging he is not an expert in that area of economics', the director criticised Trump's announcement of a 100% tariff on films from foreign lands'American director Wes Anderson has mocked Donald Trump's plan to impose severe tariffs on foreign-made films, suggesting it would mostly financially hit film-makers like him and be unworkable in practice.Can you hold up the movie in customs?" the world's chief auteur of cinematic whimsy asked at a press conference at the Cannes film festival. I feel it doesn't ship that way. I'm not sure I want to know the details so I'll hold off on my official answer." Continue reading...
This blog is now closed, you can read our report hereAshifa Kassam and Jakub Krupa in WarsawThe next two weeks will decide the future of Poland", its prime minister, Donald Tusk, has warned last night, as the country prepares for a presidential runoff vote on 1 June after a nail-bitingly close first round. Continue reading...
Mohamed and Marie-Anne Bakhaty say they could not use their swimming pool and had to cancel garden partyMany a child has experienced the anxiety of knocking on a frustrated neighbour's door to ask for their ball back.But one couple in Hampshire have become so exasperated by the seemingly endless stream of footballs landing in the garden of their 2m home from a nearby school they have successfully sued the county council. Continue reading...
Rightmove says figure has risen in May by 0.6% compared with April despite lower demand from new buyersThe average asking price of a home in Great Britain has hit a new record high for the second month in a row, with sellers seeking almost 380,000 on average in May, according to a property website.Across England, Scotland and Wales, the asking price for homes coming on to the market has risen by 2,335 or 0.6% in May compared with April, Rightmove found. This took the average asking price to a new record of 379,517, after a previous record was set last month. Continue reading...
Polar jet stream to break down areas of high pressure, while cold winds could bring snow to South AfricaThe extremely dry spring weather in north-western Europe has continued this month, with swathes of the UK, northern France, the Low Countries and Germany receiving just 10% of their normal May rainfall.The summery conditions, caused by semi-permanent high pressure across the region, are expected to change significantly this week, ending the dry spell for many and delivering much-needed rainfall. Continue reading...
Staff tell Guardian ripped-off Americans will have nowhere to turn' if Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is undoneDonald Trump's bid to gut the top US consumer watchdog has left the agency unable to protect consumers amid mounting fears of recession, according to workers.For months the Trump administration has pushed to dismantle the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and fire the vast majority of its workforce. Ripped-off Americans will have nowhere to turn" if it succeeds, staff told the Guardian. Continue reading...
Sixty-two people pulled from water overnight after boat broke up, including child and his mother suffering from hypothermiaOne person has died after a small boat sank while trying to cross the Channel overnight, French authorities said.Sixty-two people were pulled from the water after the overloaded" boat broke up, the Maritime Prefect of the Channel and the North Sea said. Continue reading...
by Nino Bucci Justice and courts reporter on (#6XCEH)
Expert tells court that phone records show potential' for accused to have been in Outtrim and Loch days after reports of deadly fungi were posted online
Attempts to bring down the price of the Japanese staple have had little effect amid a cost-of-living crisisJapan's government is battling record-low approval ratings as consumers voice anger at soaring rice prices just weeks before key national elections.Attempts to bring down the price of the Japanese staple have had little effect, prompting calls for a reduction in the consumption (sales) tax to ease the cost-of-living crisis. Continue reading...
Exclusive: Survey commissioned by children's charities shows UK voters want to see families prioritisedCharities and a Labour-aligned pressure group are ramping up calls on Keir Starmer to scrap the two-child limit on benefits, as polling shows support for action on youth poverty remains high, and is equally solid among Labour voters tempted by Reform.As discussions continue in government ahead of the forthcoming child poverty strategy, a survey commissioned by a coalition of charities suggests voters want to see families prioritised. Continue reading...
Campaigners say secretive ownership structures are becoming the go-to vehicle for kleptocrats'The owners of nearly a quarter of a million properties in England and Wales worth a combined 64bn are hidden behind opaque trusts, according to research that prompts concern that such structures are the go-to vehicle for kleptocrats" stashing money in Britain.The government introduced a register of property held through offshore vehicles in August 2022, revealing a string of unknown owners, including high-profile figures such as Lewis Hamilton and James Dyson, as well as sanctioned Russians, Gulf royals and the Chinese state. Continue reading...
Families of the disappeared' say kidnapped children may be living across EuropeWomen whose relatives were murdered and disappeared under Argentina's military dictatorship will meet EU officials in Brussels on Monday to seek support for expanded DNA testing to identify missing children.A delegation from the Abuelas de Plaza de Mayo, a campaigning group, will denounce efforts by the far-right president, Javier Milei, to dismantle the search for missing persons. They will seek support for continuing their efforts to find the children of the disappeared who were illegally adopted, many of whom may be in Europe. Continue reading...
Results show Bucharest mayor taking 54.2% of vote in presidential race, with far-right rival George Simion on 45.8%The centrist mayor of Bucharest, Nicuor Dan, is set to win Romania's pivotal presidential election with 99% of votes counted, according to official figures showing the pro-EU independent eight points clear of his far-right rival, George Simion.The figures from Romania's central election authority showed Dan, who had cast the second round vote as a battle between a pro-western and an anti-western Romania", on 54.2%, while Simion, a self-professed Trump admirer, had 45.8%. Continue reading...
Presenter expected to host his last Match of the Day on Sunday and will not front 2026 World Cup coverageGary Lineker is expected to announce he is leaving the BBC on Monday after apologising for amplifying online material with antisemitic connotations, the Guardian understands.The Match of the Day host will reportedly not present the 2026 World Cup or next season's FA Cup after bowing out by mutual agreement" with the broadcaster. Continue reading...
This blog has now closed. You can read the latest updates on the parliamentary elections in Portugal here, Romania's presidential race here and Poland's presidential first round poll here.That's a higher result for Nicuor Dan than perhaps expected. The turnout clearly plays a role here, too.But these are just exit polls, and they do not seem to account for the crucial diaspora vote. Continue reading...
Incumbent Democratic Alliance, led by caretaker prime minister Luis Montenegro, falls well short of majorityPortugal's incumbent, centre-right Democratic Alliance (AD) has won the country's third snap general election in three years - but once again fallen well short of a majority - as the underperforming socialists were left vying for second place with the far-right Chega party, which took a record 22% of the vote.By midnight on Sunday, with 99% of the votes counted, the AD - led by the prime minister, Luis Montenegro - had won 32.1% of the vote and taken 86 seats in Portugal's 230-seat assembly, leaving it far shy of the 116 needed for a majority. The Socialist party (PS) had taken 23.4% of the vote t0 Chega's 22.6%, and the two were tied on 58 seats each. Continue reading...
Fleet of tankers sailing under flags of convenience estimated to carry up to 85% of Russia's oil exportsCalls to step up and coordinate the interdiction of the unflagged Russian shadow fleet" of oil tankers in the Baltic Sea were made this weekend before the EU foreign ministers' meeting on Monday, which is expected to impose sanctions on 180 ships, taking the total number of ships sanctioned by the EU to 350.The efforts to stop the fleet, estimated to be carrying as much as 85% of Russia's oil exports and so funding roughly a third of Russia's budget, are seen as a critical proof of the EU's determination to keep the economic pressure on Russia. Continue reading...
Encounter between Ukrainian president and JD Vance comes after Russia launches largest attack since start of warUkraine's president Volodymyr Zelenskyy met US vice-president JD Vance and secretary of state Marco Rubio to prepare for a planned call on Monday with Donald Trump over a way to end three years of war in Ukraine.The encounter took place on the sidelines of Pope Leo's inauguration on Sunday. Continue reading...
Merger of Liberal Judaism and Reform Judaism will be first in any major religion for more than half a centuryTwo Jewish movements in the UK have united to form Progressive Judaism, embracing female rabbis, same-sex marriage and mixed-faith couples and representing about a third of British Jews who are affiliated to synagogues.Liberal Judaism and Reform Judaism took the historic step of voting to unite at parallel meetings on Sunday. Each vote easily exceeded the required 75% threshold for the move, with about 95% in favour. Continue reading...
Volodymyr Zelenskyy and JD Vance among 150,000 present as Leo says he wants Catholic church to be leaven of unity'Pope Leo XIV said he wanted the Catholic church to be a small leaven of unity" in a time of too much discord and too many wounds", during his inaugural papal mass attended by world leaders including the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and the US vice-president, JD Vance.Calling for more love and unity, Leo said the church's true authority" was the charity of Christ. He said: It is never a question of capturing others by force, by religious propaganda or by means of power. Instead, it is always and only a question of loving as Jesus did." Continue reading...
by Hannah Al-Othman North of England correspondent on (#6XC1P)
Palliative care consultant says insufficient consideration given to how disadvantaged communities may be affectedMinisters have not adequately considered how assisted dying would affect disadvantaged communities, a palliative care doctor and clinical academic has said.Bradford-based Jamilla Hussain said the equality impact assessment for the assisted dying bill was lightweight", and her own research had highlighted concerns that had not been reflected in the document. Continue reading...
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