World news | The Guardian

Labor unions and progressive organizations have called on workers across the state to stay home in an economic blackout'

Nekima Levy Armstrong and Chauntyll Allen raise fists and embrace loved ones after federal judge ordered releaseNekima Levy Armstrong and Chauntyll Allen, who were arrested and charged for their role in an anti-ICE demonstration that disrupted Sunday church services in St Paul, Minnesota, have been released.Video of the two women posted online showed them emerging from detention on Friday, raising their fists and embracing their loved ones. Thank you all for being here," Levy Armstrong said. Glory to God!" Continue reading...

Police reveal Julian Ingram reported to local officers as part of his bail conditions hours before the shootings

Since September, military has carried out more than 30 strikes against boats that it alleges smuggle drugsThe US military said on Friday that it carried out a strike on a vessel in the eastern Pacific, killing two people.Intelligence confirmed the vessel was transiting along known narco-trafficking routes in the eastern Pacific and was engaged in narco-trafficking operations," the US Southern Command said in a statement. Continue reading...

Snow, sleet and freezing temperatures are forecast for the south, midwest and east coast over the weekendThe dangerous monster storm threatening half of the US was on Friday bearing down, with 16 states and Washington DC already declaring emergencies and areas typically unused to prolonged Arctic temperatures bracing for power failures and supply shortages.At least 230 million people are likely to be affected by the huge winter weather system as it forms in parts of the Rocky Mountains and Great Plains and surges across southern and midwestern areas from Friday, blowing up the east coast on Saturday and as far north as Maine by Sunday. Continue reading...

Review of case found problems with statements from police officer who claimed victim had identified her attackerNearly 70 years after a Texas Black man was executed in a case that prosecutors now say was based on false evidence and was riddled with racial bias, officials have declared that he was innocent of the killing of a white woman in Dallas.Tommy Lee Walker was executed in the electric chair in May 1956 for the rape and murder of 31-year-old Venice Parker. Continue reading...

Home Office to set targets for response times and victim satisfaction as home secretary takes powers to intervene directlyPolice forces will face new targets for crime fighting and those performing poorly will be named and shamed under government plans to take sweeping powers over law enforcement.The new plans come as part of changes to policing in England and Wales to be announced on Monday by the home secretary, Shabana Mahmood. The Home Office claims the reforms are the biggest in two centuries. Continue reading...

PM joins veterans in condemning claim that troops avoided frontlines and suggests US president should apologiseKeir Starmer has issued an unprecedented rebuke to Donald Trump for his insulting and frankly appalling" remarks about British troops in Afghanistanand suggested he should apologise.After a week of fractious relations with the White House, Starmer said he was not surprised that relatives of British soldiers killed in Afghanistan were hurt by Trump claiming they avoided the frontline. Continue reading...

Alleged attacks took place in Cambridgeshire and Buckinghamshire against two prominent supporters of jailed former Pakistani prime minister Imran KhanThree men have been charged after a series of highly targeted" attacks against two Pakistani dissidents living in Britain.Police carried out a series of seven raids and arrests this week in London, Essex and the Midlands after four attacks, which began on Christmas Eve. Continue reading...

Organizers say ICE agents have been targeting African nationals amid surge focused in Portland and Lewiston

Judge described Nick Gratwick's crimes - which included plotting to rape children as young as six - as the stuff of nightmares'A dangerous" paedophile who had worked as a police informer spying on environmental and animal rights activists has been jailed for life.Nick Gratwick had been found guilty of 38 offences, including arranging to rape children as young as six in the UK and abroad. Continue reading...

Display at President's House site, residence to George Washington, had information on people enslaved by himPhiladelphia is taking legal action against the Trump administration following the National Park Service's decision to dismantle a long-established slavery-related exhibit at Independence National Historical park, which holds the former residence of George Washington.The city filed its lawsuit in federal court on Thursday, naming the US Department of Interior and its secretary, Doug Burgum, the National Park Service, and its acting director, Jessica Bowron, as defendants. The lawsuit seeks a court order requiring the exhibits to be restored while the case proceeds. Continue reading...

Angela Rayner is expected to urge PM to let Greater Manchester mayor stand in Gorton and Denton byelectionKeir Starmer is facing mounting pressure not to block Andy Burnham from making a comeback to parliament, with Angela Rayner planning to urge No 10 to let him stand in a forthcoming byelection.The prime minister's allies have been trying to prevent Burnham's return as a candidate in the Greater Manchester seat of Gorton and Denton, amid fears he could challenge the leadership. Continue reading...

Much-anticipated trial scheduled in New York over killing of United Healthcare CEO Brian ThompsonLuigi Mangione's federal murder trial in the killing of the United HealthCare CEO Brian Thompson is scheduled to start with jury selection on 8 September, a judge said on Friday, triggering one of the most eagerly anticipated criminal trials in recent US history.Judge Margaret Garnett announced the trial date to a packed Manhattan federal courtroom shortly before an evidence-related hearing in his case. Continue reading...

Preliminary report suggests fracture could have existed before high-speed train derailed in AndaluciaExperts investigating the deadly rail collision in southern Spain, which killed 45 people and left dozens more injured, believe the accident may have happened after one of the trains passed over a damaged section of rail.The disaster occurred near the Andalucian town of Adamuz on Sunday, when a high-speed train operated by Iryo, a private company, derailed and collided with an oncoming high-speed train operated by the state rail company, Renfe. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Blueprints describe a case study' community where residents submit biometric data to gain entryThe United Arab Emirates plans to fund Gaza's first planned community" on the ruined outskirts of Rafah, Gaza's southernmost city. Palestinian residents there will have access to basic services like education, healthcare and running water, as long as they submit to biometric data collection and security vetting, according to planning documents and people familiar with the latest round of talks at the US-led Civil Military Coordination Center in Israel.The planned city would mark the UAE's first investment in a post-war reconstruction project located in the part of Gaza currently held by Israel. The wealthy Gulf state has contributed more than $1.8bn of humanitarian assistance to Gaza since 7 October 2023, according to UAE state media, making it Gaza's largest humanitarian donor. Continue reading...

Trust says Reform UK leader was invited to WEF event by London-based venture capitalist as an honorary adviserNigel Farage's trip to Davos this week was hosted and paid for by the $10bn family trust of an Iranian-born billionaire, the Guardian has learned.The leader of Reform UK has been touring Davos this week, giving speeches in which he pledged to tax banks and fight the globalists". Continue reading...

Philip Young, who served on Swindon borough council, pleads guilty to offences against ex-spouse Joanne YoungA former Conservative councillor has admitted nearly 50 offences of drugging, raping and sexually assaulting his former wife over a period of 14 years.Philip Young, 49, pleaded guilty at Winchester crown court to 11 counts of rape and 11 counts of administering a substance with intent to stupefy his former spouse Joanne Young, 48, who can be named as she has waived her right to anonymity Continue reading...

President's assertion that Nato troops were not on the front line in Afghanistan has sparked widespread angerKeir Starmer's allies have launched a Stop Andy Burnham" campaign to prevent the Labour mayor from returning to parliament after the resignation of a Manchester MP triggered a byelection, Pippa Crerar, Jessica Elgot and Josh Halliday report in their overnight story.In a good analysis, Jess explains why, if Burnham does decide that he wants to return to the Commons as MP for Gorton and Denton in Manchester, he faces a colossal challenge. Continue reading...

Moscow says prior talks with Washington useful in every respect' and repeats call for Ukraine to exit Donbas

After Andrew Gwynne's exit, voters in Gorton and Denton are fractured - and increasingly willing to look elsewhereWhen leaked WhatsApp messages sent by former minister Andrew Gwynne were published last year, Stuart Beard was astonished at the scenes outside his office in Denton town square.There must have been about 60 pensioners with placards," he said, referring to local anger over Gwynne's derogatory texts, which included one saying he hoped an elderly woman who didn't vote Labour croaked it" before the next election. Continue reading...

Two days of rare trilateral discussions have begun but hopes are low amid continued territorial demands by RussiaThe European Commission has offered a bit more detail on the deployment of 447 emergency generators from EU reserves to Ukraine, mentioned in the earlier post (12:33).The generators - mobilised from rescEU strategic reserves hosted in Poland - will be distributed by the Ministry for Development of Communities and Territories of Ukraine in cooperation with the Ukrainian Red Cross to the most affected communities.The EU will not let Russia freeze Ukraine into submission and will continue helping Ukrainians get through this winter."They are designed to break Ukrainian spirit. They will fail.We won't let Russia freeze Ukraine. We bring light and warmth where Russia sends darkness. Continue reading...

Kanaan, a symbol of dining across religious and political divides, will shut its doors probably in March', say ownersAn Israeli-Palestinian restaurant in Berlin conceived as an island of peace" will close in the spring, but its Jewish and Arab owners say their dream will live on in a television series based on their unlikely partnership.Kanaan, a decade-old casual eatery in the Prenzlauer Berg district of the German capital, gained an international profile for its message of unity over hate" after the 7 October attacks on Israel by Hamas and the outbreak of the Gaza war. Continue reading...

Ryan Wedding allegedly ran a drug-trafficking organisation that moved 60 tons of cocaine a year into Los AngelesRyan Wedding, the Canadian Olympic snowboarder turned alleged drug kingpin, has been arrested, US law enforcement officials announced on Friday.Wedding, 44, has been sought by the FBI and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) for his role in overseeing what the US attorney general, Pam Bondi, called the one of the most prolific and violent drug-trafficking organizations" in the world. Continue reading...

Scottish Labour leader calls for transparency after worst scandal in the history of the Scottish parliament'The Scottish government must publish up-to-date patient safety reviews for every ward at the super-hospital at the heart of the worst scandal in the history of the Scottish parliament", Anas Sarwar has said.The Scottish Labour leader was speaking alongside families of children and adults who died after contracting infections while undergoing cancer treatment at the Queen Elizabeth university hospital (QEUH) campus in Glasgow. Continue reading...

Avatar director, who moved to New Zealand after the Covid pandemic says he will soon be a citizen of a country where people are, for the most part, sane'James Cameron has said that New Zealand's handling of the Covid-19 pandemic is the reason behind his decision to relocate there from the US.Speaking to Stuff, Cameron - who shot much of the most recent Avatar feature in the southern hemisphere - described being the US under Donald Trump as like watching a car crash over and over" and said his New Zealand citizenship was imminent". Continue reading...

Marcus Fakana, 19, spent about a year in a UAE jail serving sentence for having sex with 17-year-old girlA driver has admitted killing a British teenager in a car crash shortly after the 19-year-old had been released from a Dubai prison sentence for having sex with a 17-year-old girl.Marwaan Mohamed Huseen, 20, was attempting to get away from pursuing Metropolitan police officers when he crashed a BMW into a lorry, killing 19-year-old Marcus Fakana who was one of the vehicle's passengers. Continue reading...

Charlie Simpson, 15, is part of new generation of self-styled rightwing independent journalists' and has sources in the [Reform] party'

Scottish social justice secretary says pledge for the city shows shared commitment to tackling child poverty'New York's new mayor, Zohran Mamdani, has received a baby box from the Scottish government after modelling part of his election campaign on Edinburgh's example of providing each expectant mother with a set of essentials.Scotland's social justice secretary, Shirley-Anne Somerville, said it would help the city's leader develop his own plans for a baby basket". Continue reading...

Discounter relaunches Pep & Co clothing brand after a switch to ranges supplied by former parent group hit salesPoundland has shut 149 stores with the loss of 2,200 jobs under a rescue shake-up launched after challenging trading conditions and unpopular clothing ranges sent it into the red.The company, which was itself bought for 1 from Pepco Group by US restructuring specialist Gordon Brothers in June last year, said it had refocused on 1 items - with 60% of its stock now at that price. Continue reading...

Unison's Andrea Egan among several figures to speak out against any moves to rig selection for Gorton and Denton byelectionThe boss of Britain's biggest union has warned Labour to ensure a democratic process in the Gorton byelection, amid signs a Stop Andy Burnham" campaign is under way to prevent him posing a threat to Keir Starmer.Andrea Egan, the general secretary of Unison, who started in the job on Thursday, appeared to stand against the prospect of a stitch-up in the contest as she warned against control-freakery" in the party. Continue reading...

The phrase is part of harm reduction 101', which has led to significant declines in overdose fatalities in the USOfficials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggested overdose-prevention funding recipients may no longer be allowed to promote the message to never use alone", according to details of a meeting held this month the Guardian obtained.The purpose of the meeting was to bring recipients of Overdose Data to Action (OD2A) CDC funding into compliance with Trump's executive orders, according to a grant note the Guardian reviewed. The most salient is the July order Ending Crime and Disorder on America's Streets". Continue reading...

Interim leader Delcy Rodriguez told influencers of US threat to kill leaders if they did cooperate after capture of MaduroThe communications minister holds a phone up to a microphone before a gathering of regime-friendly influencers.On speakerphone is Venezuela's acting president, Delcy Rodriguez, who claims that when US forces captured the dictator Nicolas Maduro, she and other members of his cabinet were given 15 minutes to decide whether to comply with Washington's demands - or they would kill us." Continue reading...

Town of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky gets 6 feet of snow in places, burying cars and cutting off roads and buildingsA record-breaking snowfall event unfolded in far eastern Russia last week when the town of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, located on the Kamchatka peninsula's east coast, received more than 6 feet (1.8 metres) of lying snow in places.Strong winds accompanying the snowfall caused extreme drifting of more than 10 feet against buildings and cars. Two key ingredients combined to cause such an extreme snowfall event. Strong Pacific low pressures dragged moist air from the tropics northwards, which clashed with cold Arctic air already over the region. Continue reading...

Judge shelves inquiry into use of Israeli-made software to target ministers' phones citing chronic lack of cooperationSpain's highest criminal court has again shelved its investigation into the use of Israeli-made Pegasus software to target the mobile phones of senior Spanish ministers, including the prime minister, citing a chronic lack of cooperation from the Israeli authorities that has violated the principle of good faith" between countries.The investigation began in May 2022 after the Spanish government revealed that the phones of the prime minister, Pedro Sanchez, and the defence minister, Margarita Robles, had both been infected the previous year with the spyware, which, according to its manufacturers, NSO Group, is available only to state agencies. It was later established the phones of the interior minister and the agriculture minister had also been targeted. Continue reading...

Kaja Kallas's comments came at emergency EU meeting called after weeks of escalating threats from Donald Trump over GreenlandTransatlantic relations have taken a big blow over the last week" the EU's foreign policy chief said, as leaders from the bloc gathered for an emergency summit after weeks of escalating threats from Donald Trump over Greenland that were suddenly rescinded with a vague deal on Arctic security.Summing up the mood, the EU's foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, said the EU was living through a lot of unpredictability: One day, one way; the other day, again, everything could change." Continue reading...

Colleagues encourage former soldier to run as Sussan Ley declares she will remain opposition leader after Coalition split

High to extreme fire danger expected across several states as inland parts of SA, Victoria, NSW and Queensland may have more than five days above 40C

Millions of graduates are trapped by ballooning debts, as their repayments are dwarfed by the interest addedHelen Lambert borrowed 57,000 to go to university and began repaying her student loan in 2021 after starting work as an NHS nurse.Since then she has repaid more than 5,000, typically having about 145 a month taken from her pay packet. But everything she hands over is dwarfed by the 400-plus of interest that is added to her debt every month, thanks to rates that have been as high as 8%. Continue reading...

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James Daley says anti-competitive behaviour led to additional charges that have pushed up costs for millionsThe financial campaigner James Daley has launched a 1.5bn class action lawsuit against Apple over its mobile phone wallet, claiming the US tech company blocked competition and charged hidden fees that ultimately harmed 50 million UK consumers.The lawsuit takes aim at Apple Pay, which they say has been the only contactless payment service available for iPhone users in Britain over the past decade. Continue reading...

Exclusive: victims in hiding after attacks involving physical assault, attempted arson and the use of firearmsScotland Yard's counter-terrorism command is investigating a series of highly targeted" attacks on two Pakistani dissidents living in Britain which may bear the hallmarks of states using criminal proxies to silence their critics.One person has been arrested after a series of four attacks which began on Christmas Eve. One of the attacks involved a firearm. Continue reading...

Families accuse health board of deceit and cowardice' after years-long battle to prove contaminated water was linkedAll Molly Cuddihy wanted was recognition of what she had gone through. That was what she told the Scottish hospitals inquiry in 2021, where she described the frightening" fits and rigors she had suffered after contracting a bacterial infection at Glasgow's Queen Elizabeth university hospital while undergoing chemotherapy. I was made sicker by the environment," the 19-year-old said in her evidence.Molly had been 15 and revising for her National 5 exams when she was diagnosed with a rare bone cancer. She was treated at the Royal hospital for children and the adjacent QEUH, which are both part of a six-year public inquiry that reached its final stages and heard devastating new admissions this week. Continue reading...

Despite the recent interest rate cut, many fixed-rate bond or easy-access account rates have held up longer than expectedSavers are being urged to shop around and move fast if they want to get hold of one of the competitive deals still available. These include one-year fixed-rate savings bonds paying up to 4.35% and an easy-access account with a rate of 4.5%.The impact of the Bank of England's pre-Christmas interest rate cut - the sixth reduction since August 2024 - has been making itself felt, with reductions to rates on many savings accounts. But some best-buy savings rates have arguably held up better than one might have expected. Continue reading...

By turning conflict into entertainment US games company is ignoring its living legacy, says victims rights' groupIt pits the IRA against the British army and the Royal Ulster Constabulary, it lets players plant bombs and make political deals and it promises to wrap up the conflict within six hours.Welcome to the Troubles - the provisional board game version. The brainchild of a US games company, The Troubles: Shadow War in Northern Ireland 1964-1998, is played with dice, tokens and a deck of 260 cards. Continue reading...

Coalition's Tony Abbott-style political playbook, policy backflips and lack of message discipline helped Labor secure landslide election win

Two women and a man die in shootings at Lake Cargelligo as police urge locals to stay inside as they hunt for armed and dangerous' Julian Ingram

Search-and-rescue teams worked through the night at the campground, but there had been no progress in finding missing people, officials sayNew Zealand is full of grief", the prime minister has said, after landslides tore through a house and busy campground, leaving two dead and at least six victims still missing.Police said emergency crews were still searching for at least six people, including two teenagers, believed missing beneath the debris of a landslide, which struck a Mount Maunganui campsite on Thursday morning. Police were attempting to contact another three people. Families enjoying the summer school holiday were among the campers. Recreational vehicles and at least one structure were crushed, images showed. Continue reading...

Operator says it does now know when the problem at the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant in Niigata province will be solved, after an alarm sounded during start-upThe restart of the world's largest nuclear power plant was suspended in Japan on Thursday just a day after it went online for the first time in about 14 years, with the operator saying it does not know when the problem will be solved.The Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant in Niigata province had been closed since the 2011 Fukushima disaster, but operations to relaunch it began on Wednesday after it received the final green light from the nuclear regulator. Continue reading...

This live blog is now closed.Zelenskyy's speech looks to be slightly late, as Indonesia's president Prabowo Subianto is still speaking.Don't worry: I'm keeping an eye on this for you.Hardly any details are known yet about the proposed Greenland deal. But we need them in order to decide how to proceed with the implementation of the EU-US trade deal. @EP_Trade will revisit the issue on Monday and discuss the way forward."However there is no room for false security. The next threat is sure to come. That's why it is even more important that we set clear boundaries use all available legal instruments&apply them as appropriate to the situation. We must continue to act with this level of confidence." Continue reading...