World news | The Guardian

Local MLA blames masked thugs' for attack on centre that had been hosting people in need after Ballymena riotingA fire broke out at a leisure centre during a third night of disorder in Northern Ireland on Wednesday.People wearing masks smashed windows at the Larne leisure centre in County Antrim and set fires outside which spread inside the building. Continue reading...

After music, publishing, sports and philanthropy, rapper expands into film-making with lead role in Big Man, a short film premiering on YouTubeAfter conquering the charts, Glastonbury's Pyramid stage and launching his own publishing imprint, Stormzy is taking his first steps into the world of movies with starring in a short film about the travails of an ex-rapper.Big Man will be made by the rap star's own production company Merky Films in association with Apple, and feature Stormzy - in a sizable wig - as the lead character Tenzman, a former rap star now navigating a restless and uncertain chapter of his life". Continue reading...

Dozens more wounded as crowds approached food distribution centres run by Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian FoundationIsraeli forces killed at least 60 Palestinians in Gaza on Wednesday, most of them as they were seeking food from a US-Israeli distribution scheme, according to local health authorities.Medical officials said at least 25 people were killed and dozens wounded as they approached a food distribution centre run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), near Netzarim in central Gaza. Continue reading...

State department move comes amid increasing concerns about nuclear talks between US and Iran that appear to be deadlockedThe United States has ordered the departure of non-essential" diplomatic staff and their families from embassies in the Middle East amid growing diplomatic tensions in the region.The US diplomatic draw-down came as Iran threatened to target US military bases in the region if conflict breaks out, while Donald Trump said he was less confident" about reaching a nuclear deal. Continue reading...

Actor had over 100 credits including Scarface, Training Day, Rush Hour 2, Frasier, Ozark and Clear and Present DangerHarris Yulin, a character actor with more than 100 film and TV credits, has died at the age of 88.According to Deadline, his death was announced by his family and his manager. He died on 10 June of a cardiac arrest in New York City. Continue reading...

Future of $240bn defense pact in doubt as Trump administration reviews it to see it aligns with America first' agendaThe Pentagon has launched a review of the Aukus defence pact to make sure it is aligned with Trump's America first" agenda, throwing the $240bn agreement with Britain and Australia into doubt.The review may trigger more allied anxiety over the future of the trilateral alliance designed to counter China's military rise. Australia in particular is relying on Aukus to renew its entire submarine fleet. Continue reading...

Hundreds of fathers protest with children to call for two weeks' statutory paternity leave to be increasedHundreds of fathers took to the streets of London and Edinburgh on Wednesday to demand better paternity leave, in a protest that was billed as the world's first dad strike.They came with babies in papooses and pushchairs, as they brandished placards and dad jokes to call for an overhaul of the meanest paternity leave system in Europe. Continue reading...

The chancellor has announced extra money for housing, energy, the NHS, defence and more, so is this the start of a new phase for the government? And should they have done it sooner to combat the rise of Reform? John Harris is joined in Westminster by our political editor, Pippa Crerar, and political correspondent, Kiran Stacey, to discuss the spending review and what it tells us about Labour's plans and priorities Continue reading...

Chancellor wants to use of hotels to house claimants, but by speeding up the asylum process not putting them up elsewhereExperts have questioned whether Rachel Reeves will be able to meet the spending promises she made on Wednesday, given how many of them require a sudden and unprecedented drop in the asylum backlog.The chancellor said on Wednesday she would save 1bn by drastically reducing the number of asylum seekers waiting for a decision on their claims and ending the use of hotels to house them. Continue reading...

Trans people who feel they've lost rights should distinguish between rights in law and preference for things to be a certain way', EHCR chair saidTransgender people may be asked about their gender status in the workplace, the equalities watchdog has said, with its chair arguing people should distinguish between rights in law, and a preference for things to be a certain way".Giving evidence to the women and equalities select committee, the chair and chief executive of the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) said trans people should not be fearful of the repercussions of April's supreme court ruling, which found the word woman" in the Equality Act refers only to a biological woman. Continue reading...

New agreement would see cities such as Karup and Skrydstrup fall under US jurisdictionDenmark has voted overwhelmingly in favour of a new defence agreement giving the US sweeping powers on Danish soil, including unhindered access" to its airbases.The deal, which has been strongly criticised by politicians and human rights experts, means US soldiers in Denmark will remain under US jurisdiction. It gives US soldiers access to Danish airbases in three Danish cities - Karup, Skrydstrup and Aalborg - and grants American soldiers and military police powers over Danish civilians at these locations and outside them. Continue reading...

People to be able to move across land border with no checks, and airport to have Eurostar-style dual border checksThe UK and Spain have struck a historic" deal over Gibraltar's future, ending the long-running dispute over the territory after Brexit and easing the movement of people and goods across the border with Spain.The Foreign Office said London and Madrid had reached an agreement that resolves the last major unresolved issue from Brexit", while the Spanish foreign minister said it brought down the last wall" on the continent. Continue reading...

The chancellor roamed the country from Aberdeenshire to Weymouth, rattling off a rolodex of places along the wayBirmingham got four mentions. Derby and Merseyside two.During her 45-minute statement to MPs on Wednesday, Rachel Reeves also squeezed in references to Padeswood sidings and Southport pier. Continue reading...

Her capital-heavy approach will fuel pressure for commitments that make a more immediate difference to people's lives

Vigils held in Graz and country enters period of mourning as details of 21-year-old former pupil's bomb plot emergeA 21-year-old former student who shot dead 10 people including pupils and a teacher at his former school in Austria before killing himself had planned to detonate a homemade explosive at the site, police have said.As the small Alpine country came to a standstill to remember the dead, security officials said on Wednesday that the gunman, named in local media as Arthur A, had built a pipe bomb, but had then discarded plans to use it" in his attack on Tuesday in Graz. He told his parents in a suicide note that he had acted of his own free will". Continue reading...

Report raises concerns that money allocated to combat fires not reaching areas where it could make biggest differenceEuropean funds to prevent forest fires have been poorly targeted and sometimes distributed in a hurry, according to a report from the EU's spending watchdog.The number of forest fires in EU countries has increased dramatically over the last two decades as the climate crisis fuels ever bigger conflagrations. An area twice the size of Luxembourg has been consumed by flames in an average recent year, killing people, destroying homes and wildlife and sending megatonnes of planet-heating emissions into the air. Continue reading...

Consumer group tested 20 popular SPF 50 and 50+ brands and found 16 didn't meet the claims, while some companies dispute the findings

Only 8% of the top 10,000 artists streamed in Australia in 2024 were Australian, an analysis in a Creative Australia report finds

Department of Health wants refund of 122m spent on unused surgical gowns, but PPE Medpro says it went into contract with eyes wide open'Personal protective equipment supplied by a company linked to the Conservative peer Michelle Mone did not meet required safety standards and could seriously harm or kill patients" if used, the UK government has argued in court.Opening a high court trial for the Department of Health and Social Care, Paul Stanley KC said that the company, PPE Medpro, had not complied with technical manufacturing processes to ensure that the 25m surgical gowns it provided were sterile. Continue reading...

Chancellor pledges to end spending on asylum hotels, as she contrasts Labour investment with Tory austerity

Community groups say people who attended cultural events have faced questioning when visiting TurkeyMembers of the Turkish and Kurdish community in the UK have accused the Turkish government of intimidating and interrogating them for holding arts and cultural events in London parks.They claim that about 150 people who have participated in activities organised by Gik-Der - Refugee Workers' Cultural Organisation have been detained by Turkish authorities when visiting Turkey and questioned about their involvement with the organisation. Continue reading...

Payment of $2.3m in defamation costs Pesutto owes would have been delayed until 2027 under deal, which was not accepted by Liberal party

Beatle wrote in 1962 letter to Cynthia Powell that he wished he was on his way to her flat with chocies and a throbber'John Lennon is considered by many to be a poet. But the Beatle revealed his more prosaic side in a letter penned in 1962 to his future wife Cynthia Powell, in which he declared: I wish I was on the way to your flat with the Sunday papers and chocies and a throbber."The intimate missive, which includes a complaint about his bandmate Paul McCartney's snoring, is now being sold at auction by Christie's with a 30,000 to 40,000 estimate. Continue reading...

Andrew Gwynne and Paul Foster express concerns about safeguards as growing number of MPs change stance on bill

Paris Match agrees to pay 40,000 to two charities after publishing photos of Pelicot and companionGisele Pelicot, who survived almost a decade of rape by dozens of men after she was drugged by her ex-husband, has settled an invasion of privacy case with the French magazine Paris Match.Pelicot, who became a feminist hero after she decided to waive her right to anonymity in the trial of her ex-husband and 50 other men last year, took legal action against Paris Match in April. Continue reading...

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Senator who defected to Labor says Greens have toxic culture' and have failed First Nations people

Triple-murder accused also denies foraging death caps hours before buying food dehydrator as trial continues

LNP moves to allow police to detain and search people with metal detecting wand in any public place and remove sunset clause

Head of NHS England to say robot-assisted surgery will become the default' for 90% of keyhole operations by 2035Millions more people will have robotic surgery over the next decade under NHS plans to slash the huge waiting list for hospital treatment.The move will mean a significant expansion in how often surgeons use robots when treating people for cancer, hysterectomies and joint replacements, as well as in medical emergencies. Continue reading...

Militia led by Yasser abu Shabab says Israeli troops stepped in to defend the militia gang backed by its forcesHamas has killed 50 fighters in recent months from a Palestinian gang armed by Israel in Gaza, according to a statement released amid reports that Israeli troops directly intervened this week to protect the faction.According to media reports in Israel, clashes between Hamas fighters and members of a militia led by Yasser abu Shabab, known locally for his involvement in criminal activity, erupted early on Tuesday in Rafah. Continue reading...

Debating SA says callers have been ringing up screaming', accusing it of undoing centuries of female advancement

Australian reporters for Nine, the ABC and the New York Times have been affected while covering protests against immigration raids in Los Angeles

Political and current affairs discussion program being cut alongside the ABC's Innovation Lab

Who is Alaa Abd el-Fattah and why are British diplomats trying to obtain his release? Patrick Wintour reportsLaila Soueif, 69, has been on hunger strike in London for more than 250 days in an effort to secure the release of her son, the activist Alaa Abd el-Fattah, from jail in Egypt. As diplomatic pressure mounts, she is now in a critical condition.Alaa's sister Mona Seif describes to Michael Safi the toll that imprisonment has taken on her brother, her mother's determination to do whatever she can to secure his release, and the difficulty of coming to terms with her mother's decision to risk her life. Continue reading...

Ex-Brazilian president admits in court that after Lula's win, we studied other alternatives within the constitution'Brazil's former president Jair Bolsonaro has denied masterminding a far-right coup plot at his trial in the supreme court, but he admitted to taking part in meetings to discuss alternative ways" of staying in power after his defeat in the 2022 election.In just over two hours of questioning, the 70-year-old said that after the electoral court confirmed Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's election victory, we studied other alternatives within the constitution." Continue reading...

Grocers turning to Australia, Poland and Uruguay for meat, prompting claim they are undermining British farmersCheap chicken and beef from Australia, Poland and Uruguay is on the rise on UK supermarket shelves, according to the National Farmers' Union, as supermarkets look for money-saving options.The NFU regularly monitors supermarket shelves and notes that Morrisons is now selling raw chicken from Poland in its poultry aisle. Chicken in Poland is generally produced to different standards from those in the UK, and is cheaper as a result. Morrisons requires that for its UK chicken, poultry must be kept at a maximum stocking density of 30kg/m, giving the chickens more space to roam. In Poland, this is up to 39kg/m. Continue reading...

Palestinians reportedly killed while trying to reach food sites, while Israel accused of war crime in targeting schoolsIsraeli troops killed at least 17 Palestinians trying to reach food distribution sites on Tuesday, health authorities in Gaza said, as UN experts accused Israel's military of committing war crimes including the obliteration" of Gaza's education system.More than 130 people have been shot dead over the past two weeks in a series of brutally repetitive attacks on desperate crowds trying to access food handouts. Hundreds of others have been injured. Continue reading...

Robert Agius and Jamie Vella were convicted last week of their role in the anti-corruption journalist's murder in 2017Two men have been sentenced to life in prison for supplying the car bomb that killed the anti-corruption journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia in Malta eight years ago.The sentencing on Tuesday of Robert Agius and Jamie Vella, reported to be members of the island's criminal underworld, marked a significant step in the long campaign to bring those charged with Caruana Galizia's murder to justice. Continue reading...

Campaigners including Arlene Phillips and Mathew Bourne welcome funding for National Dance CATs they say keeps art form from being preserve of eliteCampaigners from the world of dance including Arlene Phillips and Matthew Bourne have been celebrating after a training scheme for children was saved that they say stops the art form becoming the preserve of the elite.The National Centres for Advanced Training in Dance, or National Dance CATs, work with 10- to 18-years-olds to provide them with multiple sessions of training each week, which is combined with their mainstream education. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Trade secretary to meet US counterpart with aim of implementing first parts of deal in coming daysUK officials are hopeful the US will begin lifting tariffs on British cars as soon as this week after the British trade secretary meets his US counterpart in London.Jonathan Reynolds is due to meet Howard Lutnick, the US commerce secretary, on Tuesday evening to discuss the deal to lower US tariffs on cars, steel and aluminium. Continue reading...

Swedish activist says 12 peaceful volunteers' did not break laws during attempt to bring symbolic aid shipment to Gaza

Officers questioned woman but not the alleged rapist, bringing force into disrepute, rules watchdogScotland Yard has paid a five-figure sum to a woman after officers brought the service into disrepute" for failing to investigate her report of rape by her ex-husband, the Guardian has learned.The Metropolitan police's directorate of professional standards - known as the Line of Duty unit" - criticised officers involved in the woman's case, saying they had damaged the reputation of the force at a time when we are working hard to build bridges with the public and re-build the trust we have lost". Continue reading...

Unemployment at highest level in nearly four years, with increase blamed on chancellor's hike to businesses' NICs

Peak Jewish groups accuse ANU of making campus unsafe' after board declines to adopt definition endorsed by Universities Australia

Fifteen-year-old suspect arrested and Emmanuel Macron condemns senseless violence' after stabbing in NogentEmmanuel Macron has condemned what he called a senseless wave of violence" after a 15-year-old pupil fatally stabbed a teaching assistant at a school.The 31-year-old woman died in hospital after she was stabbed during a bag search at the start of the school day outside a middle school in Nogent, in the Haute-Marne department in north-east France. Continue reading...

Managing director Hugh Marks to unveil changes at public broadcaster on Wednesday

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Department's top officials respond to last month's letter from more than 300 civil servants who raised concerns

Retailer estimated to have lost about 25m a week after it was forced to pause online shopping