No injuries reported as fire in Tracy destroys medical equipment warehouse and authorities investigate causeA fire at a 1m sq ft warehouse complex was burning out of control in California early Friday as authorities fought to tamp the large blaze and began investigating the cause.The raging inferno was pumping thick black smoke up in billowing clouds as flame and a red hot glow were visible beneath from aerial images. The fire has destroyed the medical equipment warehouse in Tracy, in northern California, and prompted evacuations of other nearby facilities, with no injuries reported. Continue reading...
Guardian reporters Fabiola Cineas and Adria Walker held a Reddit Q&A about Louisiana v Callais - here's a rundownIn April, the supreme court's decision in Louisiana v Callais struck a massive blow to the Voting Rights Act, eliminating a key provision that gave minority voters representation in Congress.Within days of the decision, Republican-led states in the south moved to redraw congressional maps to erase majority-Black districts. Some of those maps have already gone into effect ahead of the midterms. Continue reading...
Belligerent backdrop to tournament tests Fifa's football unites the world' sloganIran will present a major challenge to Fifa's football unites the world" slogan on Monday by becoming the first country in World Cup history to compete on the soil of a host nation with which it is at war.The national team's opening match against New Zealand in Los Angeles will kick off amid continuing hostilities between Iran and the US that have intensified in recent days, as a fragile ceasefire has failed to hold and attempts at reaching a negotiated settlement have sputtered. Continue reading...
Starmer shows no will to pursue the main options for rising commitments: spending cuts, tax rises or borrowingWhen Keir Starmer wanted to promise Donald Trump that the UK would increase defence spending, he decided to fund it by slashing the UK's aid budget - losing a cabinet minister, Anneliese Dodds, in the process.This time around, with John Healey's Ministry of Defence (MoD) demanding an additional 18.5bn over four years to fund the defence investment plan, there was no such lever to hand. Continue reading...
by Taz Ali (now) and Tom Ambrose (earlier) on (#768NN)
Iran and the US said the countries are discussing draft text to a deal but there are still some key differences to overcomeFull report: Trump claims US and Iran on verge of signing peace agreementIran's official Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) has cautioned against media speculation about a potential memorandum of understanding to end the war, particularly on claims regarding the strait of Hormuz.IRNA reported that Iran will not surrender its control of the strategic waterway and the US will have no role in its future management.Contrary to some bizarre claims in the media, Iran in no way makes a commitment in this text to hand over its management or to restore the strait of Hormuz to the state before the military aggression of the US and Israel. The only point mentioned is the normalisation of transit through the strait of Hormuz upon the end of the war, the establishment of maritime security by the coastal states, the end of the illegal blockade, and the removal of threats to commercial shipping by the US and Israel. At Iran's request, the US will have no role whatsoever in the future management of the strait of Hormuz. It has been made clear that the future administration of the strait will be based on an Iranian initiative and proposal, within the framework of a matter pertaining to the countries of the region. In this framework, discussions about the future of the strait of Hormuz will not take place even in negotiations after the signing of the agreement, and Tehran will directly resolve this issue in talks with Oman." Continue reading...
The prime minister defended the hard-edged decisions' he has made to cut funding from other departments to spend more on defenceAs armed forces minister, Al Carns was not involved in work on the defence investment plan (Dip). In his resignation letter, he said it was flawed not just because of the amount of funding involved; he also claimed it focused too much on the wrong capability. He said (and I've highlighted the key phrases in bold):The character of conflict is changing faster than our procurement can keep up with. We are still purchasing capability suitable for the last war while our adversaries arm for the next one. Platforms that cost billions can be defeated by systems that cost thousands. Any serious defence investment plan has to start from that reality.While I had no hand in the defence investment plan, that distance does allow me to say plainly that it is not built for the threat we face.I want to see a higher percentage for uncrewed systems, AI, data - data is the new gunpowder - and we've got to move that forward if we are going to win the next war.Too many working people in this country feel insecure even when they are doing everything right. They work hard, contribute, pay their taxes and still feel one setback away from trouble. Public confidence in our institutions is weakening and politics increasingly looks performative while everyday life gets harder.The machinery of government itself has been left to decay. Decisions that should take days, take months. Departments fight each other instead of the problem. Officials and ministers who know the truth are not always rewarded for telling it. We are trying to govern a more dangerous world with processes designed for a calmer one, and the gap is now showing in the things that matter most. Continue reading...
Plus, Brexit at 10, dinner as protest, 100 best novels and not watching the World Cup (yet)We're approaching the 10-year anniversary of the Brexit referendum. Documentaries are being aired and newspaper features are being written. But one thing seems to be missing. Why aren't all those big names who campaigned for Brexit back in 2016 now shouting from the rooftops about what a great success it has been? Continue reading...
Desperate US parents pay up to $20,000 a session for a procedure scientists say could be bogusAutistic children as young as 18 months old are being injected with human stem cells derived from umbilical cords in unapproved, unproven and potentially harmful treatments" that scientists warn are proliferating across the US under the active encouragement of the US health secretary, Robert F Kennedy Jr.Clinics in Florida, Texas and other states are selling what they bill as regenerative medicine" to families with autistic children who have intensive care needs. Parents who have taken their children through the process talked to the Guardian about their hopes and fears for a therapy that appears to be gaining ground in the US. Continue reading...
Arrest of Min Zin, who writes about Myanmar and Chinese foreign policy, comes just month after Trump visit to BeijingChina has arrested a US scholar who writes about Myanmar and Chinese foreign policy on suspicion of spying.Min Zin was suspected of engaging in espionage activities that endanger China's national security," China's ministry of foreign affairs spokesperson, Lin Jian, said on Friday. Continue reading...
People tell of feeling alienated in own city, disruption to daily life including healthcare, and frustration with politiciansBelfast residents have reacted with anger and disgust at the disorder in the city in response to a an online callout by the Guardian.People were asked if they had been affected by the unrest sparked by the stabbing of Stephen Ogilvie in the city earlier in the week. Continue reading...
by Aamna Mohdin Community affairs correspondent on (#768QZ)
Relatives of those killed on flight AI171 are still struggling to obtain answers about what happenedWhen Sagar Patel's mother boarded Air India flight AI171 on 12 June last year, she called her son as she always did before takeoff. The flight was due to leave Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel airport in Ahmedabad, in the western Indian state of Gujarat, and was destined for Gatwick.We always had a little traditional thing," said Patel, a business manager from London. Once she got on the flight, she would sit down and call me. She'd tell me: Yep, I'm on the flight. See you later.'" Continue reading...
Grande is the latest in a series of pop musicians including Sabrina Carpenter and SZA who have been angered by Trump administration videosAriana Grande has rebuked Donald Trump's White House over use of her music in a video documenting the detaining of immigrants.Earlier this week, the White House posted a montage of ICE agents handcuffing and detaining people, with the caption Bye-bye President Trump has delivered the most secure border in history". It was soundtracked by Grande's 2024 song Bye. Continue reading...
With matches in 16 cities across the US, Mexico and Canada, players and fans face an array of weather-related challengesWith the 2026 World Cup now under way, all 48 teams face a common opposition: summer weather across North America. Matches will be played in 16 cities, from southern Mexico to Canada, with a range of weather risks possible at each venue.Thunderstorms disrupted play before the tournament had even begun. England's warm-up against Costa Rica in Orlando was delayed by about an hour after storms brought lightning and heavy rain that waterlogged the pitch. Safety regulations at US venues mean play is suspended when lightning is recorded within roughly 8 miles of a stadium, not resuming until 30 minutes after the last strike. Continue reading...
Ministry says on WeChat that animals fitted with sensors by foreign agencies are collecting sensitive marine data'China's ministry of state security has claimed that foreign espionage and intelligence agencies are using innovative new methods to monitor the country's waters, including deploying spy" animals fitted with sensors.In a post on the Chinese platform WeChat on Friday, the ministry warned that an invisible secret war" was quietly playing out in the seas around China as foreign agencies were collecting sensitive data through a variety of new spying devices" to produce underwater maps that pose a serious threat to our national security". Continue reading...
Former street seller celebrates newfound rights after debacle in claiming 500,000 scratchcard prize while undocumentedA Nigerian man who won 500,000 in an Italian lottery - but was barred from collecting his windfall because he was undocumented - said the hardship of his more than decade-long immigration journey had been eased after he was finally granted a residency permit.I've been praying for this moment ever since I arrived in Italy," said Imagbe Ehizomwengie, 36. It's a huge relief. You might think it's incredible, but receiving the permit means more to me than winning the money. I want to work and contribute to society." Continue reading...
GDP hit by higher energy prices caused by Middle East conflict, after 3% rise in MarchThe UK economy contracted by 0.1% in April as the Iran war began to take its toll on growth, official figures show.As energy prices have risen as a result of the conflict, after Iran closed off the strait of Hormuz - a vital shipping route for global trade - the UK's strong expansion in the first quarter slid into reverse. Continue reading...
Imperial College scientists analysed health records before and after introduction of air pollution reduction zonesLow emission and clean air zones attract controversy whenever they are proposed, but there is growing evidence that they work in improving air quality. The Bradford zone was followed by a reduction of about 25% in GP visits for heart and breathing problems and survey data shows that the central London zone was followed by a reduction in the likelihood of a person taking sick leave.Now analysis of health records has found emergency admissions to hospital reduced after the introduction of the T-charge and ultra-low emissions zone (Ulez) in central London. Continue reading...
by Adam Fulton, Vivian Ho, Maya Yang , Fran Lawther, on (#767T0)
This blog is now closed - see our latest full report on the Middle East crisisThree Indian seafarers were killed in a US attack on an oil tanker earlier this week, India's shipping minister, Sarbananda Sonowal, said.It is deeply unfortunate to learn of the tragic incident aboard the Palau-flagged MT Settebello. Sadly, three Indian seafarers initially reported missing are now confirmed dead after bodies have been located and identified," he wrote in a post on X.The Middle East is being pulled deeper into crisis & the consequences reach far beyond the region." Continue reading...
by Seham Tantesh in Gaza and Lorenzo Tondo in Jerusal on (#768KG)
Ayoub Junaid, seven, given new pair but needs surgery as Gaza's children remain unable to access treatmentA video of a seven-year-old Palestinian boy in Gaza who suffers from a severe visual impairment crying over his shattered glasses has drawn widespread attention across social and international media.The footage of Ayoub Junaid has shone a light on the plight of the many visually impaired children in Gaza who, because of Israel's blockade and the devastation caused by the war, have been unable to access eye examinations, corrective lenses or specialist ophthalmic surgery. Continue reading...
by Lisa O’Carroll Senior correspondent on (#768KJ)
Figures suggest common travel area being exploited in both directions, but particularly UK to IrelandUp to 90% of asylum seekers in Ireland may have entered the country via the Northern Ireland land border in the last three years, figures suggest.Irish government data shows the common travel area (CTA) is being exploited in both directions but suggests it may be more popular for those seeking asylum in Ireland than in the UK. Continue reading...
More than 20,000 votes cast in Butterfly Conservation's poll of 60 native species to find nation's favourite for first timeThe votes are in on Britain's favourite butterfly, and it is one of the most ubiquitous yet spectacular backyard beauties that has flown to victory.With its lavender, yellow and maroon eye spots and luscious rusty red and black colouration, the peacock butterfly is both beautiful and commonplace, flying throughout spring, summer and autumn in all corners of the British Isles. Continue reading...
by Presented by Kiran Stacey and Jessica Elgot, produ on (#768KK)
After nights of violence across Belfast this week, politicians continue to call for calm, but what else can be done to stop the violence spreading? Plus, Jessica Elgot has been to Makerfield and spoken to undecided voters on the doorstepThe full list of candidates for the Makerfield byelection: Continue reading...
A luxury resort backed by the US president's family may be built on a wildlife-rich nature reserve in one of Europe's poorest nationsIf the real estate dreams of a billionaire political family come true, an island in one of Europe's poorest countries will become a luxury hotel complex, sweeping up stretches of the wildlife-rich nature reserve that sits across the water.No public consultation has taken place, but there are signs the idea is on the way to becoming reality. Albania has been rocked by nearly two weeks of fierce protests after fences and heavy machinery came to a sensitive wetland and preparatory work began on the tourism vision of Ivanka Trump and her husband, Jared Kushner. Continue reading...
by Presented by Helen Pidd with Hannah Al-Othman; pro on (#768KD)
The Guardian reporter Hannah Al-Othman on the anti-immigrant rioting in Northern Ireland and the residents afraid for their livesStella and Sumayah are housemates. Both care workers and students from Uganda, they live together in west Belfast.On Tuesday night, the riots across the city came to their street. The neighbouring houses were set on fire, smoke was coming through the door, masked men were outside. Continue reading...
Princess Bajrakitiyabha Mahidol's health had worsened since she was hospitalised in December 2022 with heart problems that left her gravely illThe eldest child of Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn has died aged 47, the palace has said, after nearly four years in a coma.Princess Bajrakitiyabha Mahidol, known in Thailand as Princess Bha, had been in hospital since December 2022 when she became gravely ill after having heart problems while out training her dogs. Continue reading...
British journalist to become one of most prominent appointments made by embattled editor-in-chief Bari WeissCBS News is planning to hire the prominent British broadcaster Trevor Phillips, currently a Sunday morning presenter on Sky News, as a global affairs correspondent for the network, a significant hire for embattled top editor Bari Weiss.The network has not yet announced the appointment, which was first reported by Breaker, and a spokesperson declined comment when asked about it. Phillips did not respond to a Thursday morning message from the Guardian seeking comment. Continue reading...
Report says confidence among 16- to 21-year-olds has fallen sharply as they doubt hard work will be rewardedYoung people in England are increasingly losing faith in their futures" according to a report, as record numbers fear long-term unemployment.Analysing survey data, including from the Office for National Statistics, the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) said 16- to 21-year-olds were less confident about being successful than a decade ago. Continue reading...
One-off programme to begin in July after recent MenB outbreaks in Kent, Dorset and Berkshire killed three peopleTeenagers in their final school year and young people starting university will be offered two doses of a vaccine to protect them against meningitis B, the government has announced.The one-off vaccination programme, which will begin in late July, comes after an unprecedented outbreak of meningitis B in Kent earlier this year along with clusters of cases in Dorset and Berkshire that, together, led to the deaths of three young people. Continue reading...
Doctors say therapy that genetically modifies person's T-cells could offer cure for chronic autoimmune diseaseFive lupus patients in England are in remission after being treated with a revolutionary therapy that genetically modifies their own cells, in a medical breakthrough that could offer people a cure, doctors have said.CAR (chimeric antigen receptor) T-cell therapy involves removing a type of white blood cell also called T lymphocytes, which are crucial for hunting out infected or damaged cells, and engineering them to spot and destroy disease. The T-cells are then fed back into the patient via an infusion to reset their immune system. Continue reading...
Suspect detained under Mental Health Act, as police confirm counter-terrorism unit is leading investigationA 14-year-old girl has been charged in connection with three stabbings at a school in north Manchester, police said.The girl was charged with three charges of attempted murder and two charges of possessing a bladed article on school premises over the incident on Tuesday. Continue reading...
Government urged to reconsider proposal for 1,100 Afghans, currently stranded in Qatar, who worked with US forcesDozens of US lawmakers urged the Trump administration on Thursday to roll back any plans to ship to unsafe third countries Afghan nationals who worked with US forces during the war in their homeland.In a letter seen by Reuters, more than 80 House of Representatives members, including at least three Republicans as well as Democrats, appealed to secretary of state, Marco Rubio, to reconsider plans for 1,100 Afghans who have been stranded in Qatar awaiting relocation. Continue reading...
Live webcam footage from atop the Washington Monument shows a highly visible 8', while the others appears fainterUS federal authorities are investigating what appears to be a massive etching of 8647" into the grass of the National Mall.Live webcam footage from atop the Washington Monument as of Thursday afternoon shows the markings, with a highly visible 8," along with less visible 6", 4" and 7". Continue reading...
Suit filed in US alleges chatbot told Alice Carrier, 24, maybe this is just the end' as she struggled with suicidal thoughtsA Canadian mother sued OpenAI and its CEO, Sam Altman, in US court on Thursday, alleging that ChatGPT encouraged her daughter to kill herself. The lawsuit is the latest in a slew accusing the company of failing to address dangerous conversations between users and the company's chatbot.Kristie Carrier said in a lawsuit filed in San Francisco state court that her daughter, Alice, told ChatGPT about her suicidal ideations more than a dozen times leading up to her death but that OpenAI's safety systems never flagged the conversations for human review or terminated them. Continue reading...
Pregnant woman in Scotland stressed' and unsure what will happen as result of UK government's visa clampdownA heavily pregnant mother legally living and working in the UK fears the Home Office could try to separate her from her unborn baby after her husband and first child were sent go home" letters.Sachintha Warnakulasuriya lives in Scotland with her husband, Indika Kumara, and their six-year-old daughter, Heily. Warnakulasuriya, 36, has a visa permitting her to work in the UK as a care worker and is sponsored by her employer. Her husband, also 36, and daughter are legally entitled to live in the UK as her dependents. Continue reading...
PSNI receive reinforcements from Great Britain amid further condemnation of violencePolice have fired plastic bullets and received reinforcements from Great Britain in an effort to contain race riots in Northern Ireland.The force has fired 17 of the projectiles since disturbances erupted on Tuesday, pitting officers against crowds that have thrown rocks, petrol bombs and other missiles. Continue reading...
by Anna Betts and Bryan Armen Graham in New York City on (#7688Q)
Largest comeback in NBA finals history galvanizes city and inspires morning-after chants of Knicks in five!'New Yorkers woke up on Thursday morning - those who had even slept in the city that never sleeps - still jubilant after the Knicks men's basketball team had made history the night before.The team staged the largest comeback in NBA finals history to overcome the San Antonio Spurs in the dying seconds of the fourth game of the finals - and put themselves 3-1 up and within one game of a rare championship win. Continue reading...
Former DUP leader also rejects suggestion wife knew about or witnessed abuse, saying there was nothing to know'Jeffrey Donaldson is crystal clear" that an allegation he raped a girl several years ago is simply not true", the former Democratic Unionist party leader has told a court.Giving evidence in the third week of his trial on sexual abuse charges, the ex-MP said an allegation that he had touched the same girl's breasts was just unbelievable". Continue reading...
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