Thousands of workers told to stay home this week as car manufacturer deals with digital systems outageProduction at Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) and dozens of its suppliers is to remain on hold for at least this week, with disruption from a crippling cyber-attack at the carmaker expected to last until October.The UK's biggest car manufacturer, owned by India's Tata group, halted production at the sites after discovering hackers had infiltrated its systems a week ago. Continue reading...
by Hannah Al-Othman North of England correspondent on (#6ZVQ1)
British couple feared the worst after kittens were left in hold after flight to Paris and returned to GreeceA newlywed couple who married in Greece said they feared the worst when three kittens they had rescued from Crete went missing after being left in the hold of an aeroplane.They first travelled to the island in September 2023 and found the mother cat, who had a very distinctive bulging eye that needed to be removed", Bethany Mulcahy-Stephenson, a veterinary nurse, said. Continue reading...
Devices will vibrate and make a siren sound for 10 seconds at 3pm, with message confirming alert is a testMillions of mobile phones will vibrate and make a siren sound across the UK on Sunday afternoon during a test of a nationwide emergency alert system.Handset users will also receive a message on their screens reminding them the 10-second alert, which will happen at 3pm, is a test. There are about 87m mobile phones in the UK. Continue reading...
Once a singular voice on the airwaves and satellite radio, the King of All Media' has seen his audience shrink markedlyHoward Stern was once one of the most powerful figures in American media: a controversial shock jock" who thrived on controversy proclaimed himself the King of All Media" and once commanded a contract worth half a billion dollars.But now Stern's career could be winding down from its heyday in the 1990s and 2000s when he revolutionized American listening habits and wielded huge cultural power. Continue reading...
by Gwyn Topham Transport correspondent on (#6ZVPF)
Action will bring services to early finish on Sunday and close underground entirely for four days from MondayTube users have been urged to check before travelling this week as strikes by staff escalate, bringing services to an early finish on Sunday evening and closing the London Underground entirely for four days from Monday.The RMT union has batted back pleas to call off the industrial action, involving about 10,000 workers, as it attempts to secure a shorter working week as part of pay negotiations. Continue reading...
by Mark Brown North of England correspondent on (#6ZVN2)
Co-leader of nascent leftwing party says more than 750,000 people have registered their interestLabour is dead" after failing to deliver for working people, Zarah Sultana said as she urged supporters of a new leftwing party she is creating to be patient and watch this space".Sultana, the independent MP for Coventry South who quit Labour after losing the whip for backing a move to scrap the two-child benefit cap, is co-leader of a nascent party with Jeremy Corbyn. Continue reading...
Greater Manchester mayor also suggests the cabinet needs to more pluralistic' and less London-centricThe Labour government needs a reset to become more decisive and listen more to its MPs, Andy Burnham, the Greater Manchester mayor and former cabinet minister, has said.Burnham, who is touted as a potential future leader, said he was concerned about the balance of the cabinet after the reshuffle and wanted the government to be more pluralistic". Continue reading...
Reform UK leader clarifies that, if he wins election, he will have to wait until law passed to deport people more quickly, which could take months. This live blog is closed
Nine attorneys tell Guardian they have not been contacted by justice department - state of affairs they call atrocious'For more than six months, Donald Trump and his justice department have insisted they would get to the bottom of Jeffrey Epstein's crimes, but nine attorneys - who have represented approximately 50 Epstein survivors - told the Guardian they have not been recently contacted by the justice department.The revelation casts doubt on the effort by the Trump administration to fully investigate Epstein's crimes and activities and reveal everything that the government knows about him. It comes as Trump faces intense political pressure, including from his own base, over his social ties to Epstein, who was famed for courting rich and powerful figures into his circle. Continue reading...
British ambassador to Washington says US president has sounded wake-up call to the international old guard'Donald Trump is a risk-taker sounding a necessary wake-up call to a stale status quo, Peter Mandelson has told the Ditchley Foundation in a speech before Trump's second state visit to the UK this month.The UK's ambassador to Washington portrayed Trump as a harbinger of a new force in politics at a time when business as usual no longer works for fed-up voters. Continue reading...
Public broadcaster says prime minister has made decision to avoid divide within his Liberal Democratic partyJapan's prime minister, Shigeru Ishiba, has said he is to step down following calls from his party to take responsibility for a disastrous defeat in July's upper house election.The public broadcaster NHK said Ishiba made the decision to avoid a divide within the party, while the Asahi Shimbun newspaper said he was unable to withstand the mounting calls for his resignation. Continue reading...
Metroteka aims to encourage people to read more in country that lost majority of libraries in second world warAn express" library has opened in a new metro station in Warsaw, aiming to provide an appealing cultural space to encourage residents and commuters to forgo smartphones in favour of books and, thanks to fresh herbs growing in a vertical garden, a dash of subterranean greenery too.The stylish Metroteka, which opened this week in the Kondratowicza M2 line metro station in the Polish capital's Targowek district, offers two reading areas for adults and children, as well as a space for public readings and events. Continue reading...
Perceval Parsons' plans for station put on sale to mark 200th anniversary of first public passenger railwayThe vaulted arches of New York's Grand Central station are recognisable even to those who have never taken a train into the Big Apple. But they could very easily have been a sight visible in central London.Shelved 172-year-old architectural drawings by Perceval Parsons show how he envisioned a new London railway connecting the growing number of lines coming into the city to a huge main terminal by the Thames. Continue reading...
Exclusive: Activist spoke while onboard aid flotilla aiming to deliver food, baby formula and medical supplies to territoryKeir Starmer must obey his legal duty to act to prevent a genocide", Greta Thunberg has told the Guardian while travelling aboard an aid flotilla heading for Gaza.The Swedish activist said there was a huge absence of those whose legal responsibility it is to step up" under international law, and called out the UK prime minister before a potential meeting this week with Israel's president, Isaac Herzog. Continue reading...
Inspectorate issues summons after water supply infected 140 people with diarrhoea-type disease in Brixham last yearSouth West Water is being taken to court over a parasite that infected the water supply in parts of Devon last summer and left dozens sick.More than 140 people were confirmed to have the diarrhoea-type disease, which also causes stomach pains and vomiting, typically lasting for about two weeks. Four people were hospitalised at the time. Continue reading...
Expert says self-testing kits are clinically useless and can be a distraction from evidence-based treatmentExpensive, over-the-counter hormone tests for menopause are clinically useless and risk undermining women's healthcare, senior doctors have warned.The testing kits, offered by private clinics and available to buy for self-testing, claim to offer tailored insights through measuring hormone levels. But they have been described by experts as misleading and medically unnecessary. Continue reading...
Swiss bank account data to be disclosed to island's chief legal adviser who is looking at source of former Chelsea FC owner's Sibneft billionsThe former Chelsea football club owner Roman Abramovich is the subject of a criminal investigation by the Jersey authorities over allegations of corruption and money laundering in connection with the original source of his billions, according to court documents.The information has emerged from the federal criminal court in Switzerland, where judges ordered the release of documents, relating to multiple Swiss bank accounts, that had been requested by the Jersey attorney general. Continue reading...
Strait is considered an international waterway by countries including the US, Canada, Britain and TaiwanAustralian and Canadian warships sailing through the sensitive Taiwan Strait have been followed and warned by China's military, with Beijing describing the incident as a provocation.The People's Liberation Army's Eastern Theatre Command said the Australian guided-missile destroyer Brisbane and the Canadian frigate Ville de Quebec were engaged in trouble-making and provocation". Continue reading...
New home secretary is expected to unveil plans to use military sites as Labour seeks to harden immigration policyShabana Mahmood is expected to unveil plans to move asylum seekers from hotels into military barracks as Labour seeks to harden its immigration policy amid rising numbers of crossings in the channel.The new home secretary is reportedly set to announce the use of Ministry of Defence sites to house people after a wave of protests outside migrant accommodation over the summer. Continue reading...
Some believe fight is looming over sweeping reforms after employment rights minister Justin Madders sacked and union allies sidelinedKeir Starmer has sought to tighten his grip on his government with a wave of junior ministerial changes that has sidelined allies of the unions, raising questions over the future of Labour's workers' rights package.The reshuffle has been used by Downing Street to signal a tougher stance on immigration in an apparent bid to take on Reform UK, with Shabana Mahmood - a self-described social conservative rising star - now in charge of the Home Office, supported by Sarah Jones who returns to her former policing brief. Continue reading...
Investigators say it had not been possible to visually inspect section of cable that separated before incidentA cable linking two carriages snapped shortly before Wednesday's funicular crash in Lisbon that killed 16 people, accident inspectors have said in a report.An operator tried to apply emergency brakes but failed to prevent the derailment, investigators added. Continue reading...
Police say offences include assault and support for a proscribed group as 1,500 oppose ban in Parliament SquareMore than 425 people have been arrested at the largest demonstration yet opposing the proscription of Palestine Action.Defend Our Juries, who organised the demonstrations, said there were 1,500 sign-holders in Parliament Square on Saturday at a fresh protest in London against the ban. At the previous major demonstration last month, 532 people were arrested for taking part. Participants gathered in Parliament Square by 1pm, many holding signs that read: I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action." Continue reading...
by Nadeem Badshah, Sarah Haque and Hayden Vernon on (#6ZV2W)
Angela Rayner resignation brought forward' reshuffle, says chief secretary Darren Jones, but he insists there is no split within Labour partyFire services are using a drone to help tackle the blaze at White City, with around a dozen crew still visible on the roof working to bring it under controlLi Mei, 36, who lives in a luxury apartment block across the road, told the PA news agency: I got up this morning and my partner told me to look out of the window. Continue reading...
Aseem Malhotra claimed eminent oncologist' said jab was significant factor in the cancer of members of royal family'A controversial doctor given top billing at the Reform party conference has used his main-stage speech to air a claim the Covid vaccine caused cancer in the royal family.The speech by Aseem Malhotra, a British cardiologist who was appointed as a senior adviser to the US health secretary and vaccine sceptic Robert F Kennedy, drew sharp intakes of breath in the Birmingham auditorium where he was handed a prime speaking slot. Continue reading...
Relatives pay tribute to Kayleigh Smith, 36, and William Nelson, 44, who died when the Elevador da Gloria derailedThe families of a British couple killed in Lisbon after a funicular streetcar derailed have paid tribute to them and have said they are heartbroken".Kayleigh Smith, 36, and William Nelson, 44, died alongside 14 other people after the Elevador da Gloria hurtled down a hill and careered into a building on Wednesday night. Continue reading...
by Jason Burke International security correspondent on (#6ZV6Q)
Unicef expects August malnutrition cases to top 15,000, as famine declared in Gaza City spreads southMore than 7,000 children under the age of five were put on recovery programmes for acute malnutrition at clinics run by Unicef in Gaza in just two weeks last month, figures reveal.The overall total for August is being compiled by Unicef but is expected to exceed 15,000 new patients, more than seven times the total in February. Continue reading...
Chef and host of BBC One's Saturday Kitchen to join 18th series as judge after Wallace dropped from programmeThe television host and chef Matt Tebbutt will replace Gregg Wallace as a judge on the next series of MasterChef: The Professionals after a turbulent period for the show.Tebbutt, best known for hosting BBC One's Saturday Kitchen, will join chefs Marcus Wareing and Monica Galetti for the 18th series of the cooking competition programme, along with a range of guest judges who will appear in the first stage of the competition. Continue reading...
Speculation that swirled on social media offered an insight into conspiracy theories online, liberal fantasies and the attention economyThe death of Joseph Stalin took days to become public and remains fodder for conspiracy theories. The death of Donald Trump has spawned countless tweets, TikToks and memes long before it even happens.How did you find out over the weekend that you were dead?" asked Fox News's Peter Doocy with tongue in cheek. Did you see that?"
Michele Bourda's husband says police and coastguard were criminally slow' in responding to her disappearance in AugustA body found on a barren Greek island has been identified as that of Michele Bourda, the British tourist who vanished from a beach more than a month ago.Greece's coastguard confirmed that the 59-year-old, whose disappearance sparked a big rescue operation, had been discovered by a passing yacht on the islet of Fidonisi. Continue reading...
Hollywood actor helps out at the Swan at Enford in Wiltshire as he and his neighbours fight to save their localIt was a pleasant surprise when a visitor to the Swan at Enford, a thatched pub tucked away in the folds of the Wiltshire countryside, found themselves being served a pint by one of the UK's most famous actors.They had come in off the main road and asked if it was my pub," said Rupert Everett, the star of films such as Another Country, My Best Friend's Wedding and The Madness of King George. Continue reading...
Fast-fashion retailer rejects accusations as Fair Tax Foundation questions its tax arrangementsShein's UK arm has been accused of transferring the vast bulk of income" to its Singaporean parent in order to cut its British tax bill.The company, which had been considering a 50bn float on the London Stock Exchange but is expected to list in Hong Kong, paid just 9.6m in corporation tax despite taking 2bn in sales last year. Continue reading...
Rayner has quit not only as deputy prime minister but also deputy leader of her party. We examine the potential candidates for that roleAngela Rayner's resignation not only as deputy prime minister but also as deputy Labour leader has triggered a fierce internal election battle to find her successor, and potentially a simultaneous battle for the soul of the party ... again.Rayner, who was seen by many across the party as a future leader, dramatically quit her two government positions and the party's deputy leadership on Friday after the independent adviser on ministerial interests concluded she had breached the code by underpaying stamp duty on her seaside flat in Hove. Continue reading...
Teenage Prince Hisahito's elaborate ceremony overshadowed by questions over royal family's male-only succession rulesJapan has heralded the coming of age of Prince Hisahito with an elaborate ceremony at the Imperial Palace, where a succession crisis is brewing.The nephew of Emperor Naruhito, Hisahito received a black silk and lacquer crown at Saturday's ceremony in Tokyo, which marks the beginning of his royal adult life. Continue reading...
Exclusive: Companies considering use of kill switches' to disable stolen devices after 967% increase in theft incidentsMobile phone retailers are locking their doors during trading hours and considering using kill switches" to disable stolen devices, as incidents of theft increase more than ninefold in some high streets due to organised crime.VodafoneThree, which operates the largest retail network with 650 stores across the UK, has experienced a 967% increase in theft incidents in the first half of this year compared with the same period in 2024. Continue reading...
by Amy Hawkins, Andrew Roth and Helen Davidson on (#6ZV15)
Alliance of global autocrats has been accelerated by Donald Trump's use of political and economic pressure against friends and foes alikeWaving beatifically over the crowd of 50,000 spectators assembled in Beijing's Tiananmen Square on Wednesday, Xi Jinping exuded an aura of confidence that many leaders in the west could only envy. To his left stood North Korea's Kim Jong-un, the supreme leader of an increasingly strident hermit kingdom. To his right was the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, Xi's old friend" and China's biggest ally in opposing the US-led world order. The last time that the leaders of these three countries were together in public was at the height of the cold war.Humanity once again faces the choice between peace or war, dialogue or confrontation," the Chinese president told the gathered crowds. His insistence that China would adhere to the path of peaceful development" was punctured somewhat by the country's biggest ever military parade that marched through the square beneath his rostrum atop the Gate of Heavenly Peace, the entrance to the Forbidden City that has - on and off - been the seat of Chinese power since the 15th century. Continue reading...
Carlo Acutis, who died in 2006 and built websites to spread Catholic message, to become first millennial saintIn a see-through safe carved into a wall behind the altar of a chapel in northern Rome lies a collection of relics of Carlo Acutis. These include a splinter from his wooden bed, a fragment of a jumper and a piece of the sheet used to cover him after his death. Locks of his hair are on display in other churches in the Italian capital and beyond.Acutis, the London-born Italian who on Sunday will become the Catholic church's first millennial saint, built websites to spread Catholic teaching, earning him the nickname God's Influencer" after his death, aged 15, from leukaemia. Continue reading...
Alex Freudmann says ministers need to increase proportion of food eaten in UK that is grown or reared in BritainMarks & Spencer's head of food has called on the government to set a legally binding concrete target" to increase the proportion of food produced at home, as he warned that Britain was becoming less and less self-sufficient".Alex Freudmann, the managing director of the upmarket grocer's food division, which works with 10,000 British farms, said: If ministers are committed to domestic food supply, then they need to prove it, and that's why we're backing our farmers' calls for a clear and concrete target to increase the proportion of food eaten in Britain that's grown or reared in Britain." Continue reading...
Trump has reportedly been pushing Adams - polling in single digits - to ditch campaign in effort to stop MamdaniThe New York City mayor, Eric Adams, announced on Friday that he is going to stay in the fall's highly anticipated mayoral race, just days after reports that Donald Trump was encouraging him to drop out in order to help fellow independent candidate Andrew Cuomo gain more votes against the frontrunner, the Democratic nominee, Zohran Mamdani.I am running for re-election," Adams confirmed to reporters during a news conference outside the Gracie Mansion mayoral residence. Continue reading...
Singer had said he was open to offers for stake in former band although email address never appeared to workIn a sullen episode befitting some of his more gloomy lyrics, Morrissey, lead singer of the Smiths, has abruptly shut down an email address he was promoting to sell his business interests in the band.The notoriously saturnine frontman blamed disagreeable and vexatious characters" involved with the band for his sudden decision, and claimed he had endured decades of misery, in a post on Friday on his website morrisseycentral.com. Continue reading...
Starmer brings forward cabinet reshuffle to restore order but fallout likely to further damage party's reputationKeir Starmer is battling to get a grip on the crisis that has engulfed his government, with his deputy prime minister Angela Rayner forced to step down after breaching the ministerial code over her tax arrangements.The prime minister brought forward a major cabinet reshuffle in an attempt to restore order and get back on the front foot after a damaging few days, with Yvette Cooper, David Lammy and Shabana Mahmood all moved to prominent new roles. Continue reading...
Father Ted co-creator denies he became a bit obsessed' with transgender teenager he is accused of harassingGraham Linehan, the co-creator of the TV sitcom Father Ted, has accused the police of basically working for trans activists" as he defended himself in court against charges of criminal damage and harassing a teenager.He denied claims from the prosecution that he had become a bit obsessed" with Sophia Brooks, a then 17-year-old transgender activist, with whom he had an altercation last October. Continue reading...
Amid pounding music, dry ice and pyrotechnics, the charlatan's charlatan performed like a TV evangelistUp for an adventure" a sign declared outside the Birmingham National Exhibition Centre. You certainly need to be. After navigating a half-hour queue to get through security, a group of us were told we needed to go back outside, walk 10 minutes and then go through security again to reach the media centre.Which would have been fine except the staff at the new entrance had been given instructions not to admit the media, and told us to go back to where we had started and queue for security a third time. The theme for this year's Reform party conference is Ready for government". It would have been nice if they were ready for their own conference first. Piss ups and breweries. Continue reading...